A year after Barry Trotz was bloodied after getting hit in the head with a puck, former Caps coach Bruce Boudreau experienced the same bad luck during the Minnesota Wild’s 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators.
With 5:44 left in the third period, a puck deflected onto the Wild’s bench and struck Boudreau on the left side of his temple. Boudreau would bleed and get helped to the locker room by the team’s trainer.
Video
Bruce Boudreau took a deflected puck right off the melon, had to hit the room for repairs pic.twitter.com/ulNLEjJWwz
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) December 30, 2017
Here’s a closer look.
Assistant coach John Anderson would take over for Boudreau and lead the team for the remainder of the game.
After the game, the team thankfully said Boudreau was all right. Boudreau confirmed this by giving two nerdy thumbs up to the camera.
Good news #mnwild fans, Bruce Boudreau is a warrior and OK after taking a puck to the head. 👍🏻👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/0QrJhErRna
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 30, 2017
“I’m fine,” Boudreau said during his postgame press conference.
“I think Foligno was trying to get it out and Stewie ducked,” Boudreau joked. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been hit (before).”
Bruce Boudreau talks to media after #mnwild’s win over Nashville at home. #OurIce pic.twitter.com/qoYpraDriR
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 30, 2017
Boudreau was asked how many stitches he received.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I was watching the game so I don’t know how many they put in.”
No headaches?
“Not yet,” Boudreau deadpanned, hoping the barrage of questions about his injury would end.
This is just once again confirmation that hockey coaches are the toughest bench bosses in all of sports.
