TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — NHL linesman Tim Nowak was injured Tuesday night during a preseason game between the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Nowak needed assistance from trainers to walk to the Lightning locker room for evaluation after being hurt with 26 seconds left in the second period. He appeared to have trouble putting weight on his leg.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper talked with Nowak in-between periods.
“He was in good spirits,” Cooper said. “I don’t know what happened to him, twisted his knee or something like that.”
No other details were immediately available, however the Lightning said it appeared Nowak would be OK.
The referees sent both teams off the ice while Nowak was being treated at the blue line in front of the Tampa Bay bench. The final seconds of the second period were played after the intermission
Nowak, who made his NHL debut in October 1993, didn’t return for the completion of the second period or the third.
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