Eric Staal gets taken out cold by referee!

We are all aware that hockey is a dangerous game, but most of us have that detail in mind when we witness players hitting one another and getting in each other’s faces. 

On Tuesday night, we were reminded that referees can get involved in these hits as well, but this was a rare one. It was a veteran player getting taken out by an official on a random play. 

During the Wild’s 3-2 loss in a shootout at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks,  veteran forward Eric Staal laid motionless on the ice for an extended period of time after colliding with a referee. 

As Staal attempted to make his way into the zone, he unfortunately kept his head down and never saw the official, who tried to move his feet out of the way for the puck but ended up hitting Staal up high as he jumped. 

Staal fell on the ice and tried to get up, but clearly something was wrong. He laid there for a while as teammates and trainers came to his aid. 

We hope Staal will be feeling better soon and remember to keep his head up, even if it’s “just” a referee up ahead.