Seattle Kraken Star Forward Absolutely Destroys Referee From Behind

In the course of the game, while chasing the puck, Eeli Tolvanen inadvertently ran into referee Furman South. This led to South being propelled toward the boards. Fortunately, South managed to turn his head just in time, narrowly averting a direct impact with the boards. Nevertheless, the episode was quite startling.

The moment was captured and shared online, highlighting the unforeseen hazards of the game:

Tolvanen made sure to check on South before continuing with the game. Impressively, South managed to recover from the impact and continued his officiating duties.

This occurrence marks another instance where referee Furman South has experienced an injury in the current season. Previously, on November 10, 2023, he encountered a similar mishap when he was hit in the face by a stick in a match featuring the Columbus Blue Jackets against the San Jose Sharks.

These events emphasize the physical hazards that referees and officials are exposed to in the NHL, underscoring the sport's high intensity and unpredictability.