Avalanche Coach Suffers Facial Fractures After Puck Strike

Jared Bednar will miss final road games of regular season after incident during Avalanche-Golden Knights matchup.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 4:26pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey coach being struck by a puck, with the action broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the team uniforms.A coach's unexpected injury highlights the risks and unpredictability of hockey, even on the sidelines.Las Vegas Today

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar suffered facial fractures and a corneal abrasion after being struck in the face by an errant puck during a recent game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Bednar did not return to the bench following the incident and will miss the team's final two regular season games as he recovers.

Why it matters

Hockey coaches are rarely injured during games, making this an unusual and concerning incident. Bednar's absence could impact the Avalanche's preparations and performance in their final regular season matchups as they gear up for the playoffs.

The details

The incident occurred early in the third period of the Avalanche's game against the Golden Knights on Saturday night. During a scrum for the puck near the Avalanche bench, Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar swatted the puck up into the air, and it struck Bednar squarely in the face. Avalanche players ducked to avoid the puck, then quickly turned around when they saw their coach hunched over in pain. Bednar was escorted to the locker room holding a towel over his face and did not return to the bench for the remainder of the game.

  • The incident occurred early in the third period of the Avalanche-Golden Knights game on Saturday, April 12, 2026.
  • Bednar will miss the Avalanche's final two regular season games on April 14 and April 16, 2026.

The players

Jared Bednar

The head coach of the Colorado Avalanche, who suffered facial fractures and a corneal abrasion after being struck by an errant puck during a recent game.

Keegan Kolesar

A winger for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, whose swatting of the puck led to it striking Bednar in the face.

Jack Drury

A center for the Colorado Avalanche who was involved in the scrum for the puck near the Avalanche bench when the incident occurred.

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What’s next

Bednar will miss the Avalanche's final two regular season games as he recovers from his injuries. His assistants, Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol, will coach the team in his absence.

The takeaway

This freak accident highlights the inherent dangers hockey coaches face, even on the bench, and the potential impact an injury to a key member of the coaching staff can have on a team's preparations and performance as they head into the playoffs.