LA Kings coach D.J. Smith struck by falling glass in scary NHL playoff moment vs. Avalanche

The Los Angeles Kings expected a hostile environment for their first two games in Colorado at Ball Arena. But never did they expect something out of a horror movie. 

With 16:48 remaining in the second period of a 0-0 game, Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood made a sensational save on Kings forward Quinton Byfield on a penalty shot. 

As the fans celebrated, they leaned and pounded on the glass behind the Kings bench in a surge of playoff adrenaline. That’s when the sound of a giant crack that didn’t belong in a hockey game could be heard as the glass shattered under too much weight. 

The shards of glass rain downed upon interim Kings head coach D.J. Smith. Fragments of glass spilled all over him. It was a dangerous and scary moment. 

“Whoever the guy (was) just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith said before heading back to the tunnel to pick glass out of his suit.. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, then it broke.”

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a front row seat for the glass breaking.

The game was delayed for over 17 minutes while the cleanup crew came out with shovels to pick up shards of glass from the Kings’ bench. 

“I thought the ice crew did a good job and they did their best to fix it as fast as possible. Doesn’t happen every day,” said Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. 

The Avalanche would win in overtime on a goal by Nicolas Roy to give Colorado a 2-0 series lead heading back to Los Angeles. 

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