In a concerning incident during Thursday night's game between the New Jersey Devils and the Carolina Hurricanes, Devils coach Lindy Ruff was struck in the face by a puck. As a result, he was unable to be on the bench for the third period of his team's 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes. Associate coach Travis Green took over the coaching responsibilities for the remainder of the game.
The unfortunate incident occurred with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the second period. However, Ruff received immediate attention and initially decided to stay behind the bench. Unfortunately, as the game progressed, he began feeling unwell and ultimately made the decision not to come out onto the ice for the third period.
Green, who stepped in and assumed the coaching responsibilities, provided an update on Ruff's condition after the game, stating that the coach was feeling somewhat better compared to earlier but still not at his best. The team is hopeful for Ruff's swift recovery.
Lindy Ruff, who will turn 64 next month, holds an impressive coaching record. With 858 career regular-season wins, he currently ranks fourth all-time among NHL coaches. In addition, Ruff has coached the fourth-most regular-season games in Devils history, with 266 under his belt.
Despite the absence of their head coach, the Devils put up a valiant effort to claw their way back into the game. Trailing 3-0 after two periods, they managed to score two goals in the third period. Justin Dowling and Jesper Bratt found the back of the net, with Bratt's goal coming with a mere 2.3 seconds remaining on the clock as the Devils employed an extra attacker.
The matchup between the Devils and the Hurricanes marked their first meeting since the Hurricanes emerged victorious in the second-round playoff series last spring, winning the series in five games. While the result of this regular-season clash did not go in favor of the Devils, they demonstrated resilience and fought until the very end.
In terms of goaltending, Nico Daws started the game for the Devils but was pulled after the Hurricanes scored their third goal early in the second period. Daws made nine saves on 12 shots before being replaced by Vitek Vanecek, who made 11 saves in relief.
The incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks and dangers faced by coaches, players, and staff in the high-intensity world of professional hockey. The Devils will undoubtedly offer their support to Lindy Ruff as he recovers from the incident and looks forward to rejoining the team behind the bench.
While accidents like this can occur occasionally, the focus now shifts to Ruff's recovery and the team's upcoming games. The Devils will regroup and continue their pursuit of success in the NHL, hoping to bounce back from the loss and make strides under the leadership of both Ruff and Green.
