NHL referee Mitch Dunning is home and expects to make a full recovery, league says

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The NHL referee who was stretchered out of a game following a violent collision with Colorado defenseman Josh Manson was back home Tuesday and expected to make a full recovery.

The league said that Mitch Dunning was home following a trip to the hospital for precautionary reasons after he was accidentally knocked down by Manson in the Avalanche-Flyers game.

Manson skated alone on the ice Monday night when he slammed into Dunning near the blue line early in the first period. Dunning went down in a heap and lay prone on the ice for several minutes. Dunning appeared to be moving his feet and moved his right hand when Manson went to talk to him.

The game at the Wells Fargo Center was delayed for several minutes while trainers and medical staff tended to Dunning.

The game continued with one referee and two linespersons. Colorado beat Philadelphia 3-2.

Dunning is a former professional hockey defenseman who played parts of three seasons in the OHL. He later shifted into officiating and was promoted to full-time NHL status in 2022.

The NHL did not say when Dunning would return to work.

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