Following his intense collision with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson on Monday night, the NHL has confirmed that referee Mitch Dunning is back home and is expected to make a full recovery. The incident occurred in the first period of the Avalanche’s 3–2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers, when Dunning skated backward and collided with Manson, resulting in a significant fall. You can view the collision in this video:
Dunning was taken off the ice on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital, where he was reportedly “fully communicative and had movement in all his extremities.” The game was briefly paused due to the incident with Dunning but resumed with one referee and two linesmen. NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that Dunning has since returned home and “feels sore but is otherwise doing well after being examined at a local hospital.” It remains unclear when he will be able to resume his officiating duties. Dunning has been an NHL referee since 2022 and played three seasons in the OHL.
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