Advertisement

Ducks vs. Avalanche game majorly delayed by broken glass

NHL
NHL

The Anaheim Ducks and the Colorado Avalanche couldn’t finish the second period of their game on Thursday night.

It was a pane in the glass.

Defenseman Eric Gelinas of the Avalanche smacked a shot off the glass behind the Ducks’ goal, leaving a significant crack in it. The referees blew play dead, and thus began a comical delay as the Honda Center crew attempted to fix it.

AP
AP

The players stood on the ice, chins on sticks, waiting to play. The goalies attempted to stay flexible.

NHL
NHL

The arena workers couldn’t get the broken glass out. After they finally did, they needed to have a new piece of glass cut to fit the space behind the goal.

The on-ice officials finally decided to send the players to the dressing rooms and proceed under Rule 77.3, which states that “if a delay takes place with more than five minutes remaining in the first or second period, the referee will order the next regular intermission to be taken.”

So the remaining 9:48 of the second period was played as the start of the third. Then there was a dry scrape. And then the third period was played.

In total, the delay last around 45 minutes.

Anaheim won the game with 2:02 left on a Nick Ritchie goal, leaving the Avalanche feeling … shattered.

Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

MORE FROM YAHOO SPORTS