ESPN News Services
Apr 22, 2026, 12:07 AM ET
DENVER -- Kings interim coach D.J. Smith quickly ducked when shattered glass fell on him after a pane broke behind the Los Angeles bench during Game 2 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
It happened right after Quinton Byfield was stopped on a penalty shot by Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood with 16:48 remaining in the second period. The glass began to sway as fans pounded on it in excitement and then it gave way, with pieces raining on Smith. He covered his head and then brushed the glass from his suit before heading down the tunnel to the locker room. He returned a few minutes later.
The Avalanche cleanup crew brought out shovels and buckets to clean up the fragments from the L.A. bench. The Kings players mingled on the ice as they waited for a new pane to be brought in and installed.
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog told ESPN that he's never seen something like that happen before.
"It was loud there when Wedgy made that save and fans got a little too excited," he said.
The delay between the penalty save and the resumption of play lasted 19 minutes. The score was 0-0 when play was halted.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
