DENVER (AP) — D.J. Smith felt the pushing from behind and then the glass raining down on him. He didn't have time to duck out of the way.
The Los Angeles interim coach had shattered glass fall on him after a pane broke behind the Kings bench Tuesday night in Game 2 against Colorado.
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 gave way, with pieces raining on Smith. He covered his head and then brushed the glass off his suit before heading down the tunnel to the locker room. He returned a few minutes later.
“Whoever the guy (was) just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith recounted. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, then it broke.”
The Avalanche cleanup crew brought out shovels and buckets to clean up the fragments from the LA 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 hockey analyst Erik Johnson he's never seen something like that happen before. Landeskog added: "It was loud there when ‘Wedgy' made that save and fans got a little too excited."
The delay took more than 15 minutes. The score was 0-0 when play was halted. Colorado won 2-1 in overtime on Nicolas Roy's winner to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series heading into Game 3 on Thursday night in Los Angeles.
“There's nothing you can do to control it. There's nothing you can do about it, so you just deal with it," Landeskog said of the delay. “I think maybe the only thing was that there were so many bodies on the ice that it (wore) the ice out a little bit for the rest (of the period).
“I thought the ice crew did a good job and they did their best to fix it as fast as possible. Doesn't happen every day.”
It was a first for Avalanche coach Jared Bednar.
“That’s a different one," Bednar said. "But, I mean, stuff happens. Fans get excited. Our guys were excited, competing hard. There was a bunch of melees on the ice today. It felt like playoff hockey.”
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Los Angeles Kings interim coach D.J. Smith talks with center Samuel Helenius (79) during the first period of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo Jack Dempsey)
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson stretches while waiting for a broken piece of glass to be replaced on the team's bench during the second period of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Members of the Colorado Avalanche conversion crew carry a new piece of glass to the Los Angeles Kings' bench during the second period of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
DENVER (AP) — Nicolas Roy scored on a rebound 7:44 into overtime and Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves, including a penalty shot, as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Roy put the winner through the legs of defenseman Brandt Clarke and into the net to set off a wild celebration.
“Just trying to chip in as much as I can, to help these guys out,” said Roy, who was acquired in a deal with Toronto on March 5. “Getting that goal was big.”
The game was halted for roughly 17 minutes in the second period when a pane of glass shattered behind the Kings bench, sending pieces raining on interim coach D.J. Smith. The incident occurred right after Quinton Byfield was stopped on a penalty shot by Wedgewood and fans began to celebrate by pounding on the glass. It gave way as Smith covered his head and then brushed the glass off his suit.
The Kings had the game plan to steal a road win — clog up the middle of the ice and disrupt the flow of the fast-flying Avalanche. They lost both games by a 2-1 score, but kept the highest-scoring team this season largely in check.
“Played two good games,” Smith said. “We had every opportunity, got a lead with whatever to go. You have to be able to close it out.”
Colorado is 17-2 in playoff series when taking a 2-0 lead since relocating to Denver before the 1995-96 season. Los Angeles is 3-12 in postseason series when facing an 0-2 hole, according to NHL Stats.
The Kings took the lead on Artemi Panarin’s power-play goal with 6:56 remaining. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog tied it up with 3:35 left when he got loose in front of the net.
It set the stage for Roy, who scored his second career OT winner in the playoffs. He also had one while with Vegas in 2021.
“He’s been awesome,” Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon said. “He’s a great player, a really smart player.”
Game 3 is Thursday night in Los Angeles.
This was a showdown between Wedgewood and Anton Forsberg, who both turned in sensational saves. Forsberg stopped 34 shots.
It was a physical game, too, that featured 52 hits, 52 blocks, 11 penalties, plenty of skirmishes and lots of hard feelings.
“Playoffs are going to be hard. It’s a really good team over there,” MacKinnon said. “They’re playing hard. We’re playing hard. It’s low scoring, but it’s fun hockey."
Colorado thought it had a goal after a shot from Sam Malinski seconds into the third. The horn went off and the fans erupted, but it was quickly ruled that the puck stuck into the side of the net and never went in.
Forsberg and his defensive teammates did their part. Mikey Anderson broke up a 3-on-1 with a slide across the ice in the second when Martin Necas elected to pass, and Drew Doughty made a similar sliding play later in the period.
“We believe in our way of playing and we’re right there with one of the best teams in the league,” Forsberg said. “You just have to stick with it and find a way.”
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Colorado Avalanche center Nicolas Roy (10) waves to the crowd while being recognized as the player of the game after scoring the game winning goal against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Colorado Avalanche center Nicolas Roy (10) is congratulated by teammates after scoring the game winning goal against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Colorado Avalanche center Nicolas Roy (10) is congratulated by teammates Valeri Nichushkin (13) and Brett Kulak (27) after scoring the game winning goal against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson stretches while waiting for a broken piece of glass to be replaced on the team's bench during the second period of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) blocks a shot by Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) during the first period of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Linesman Travis Toomey (90) tries to break up a fight between Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski (70) and Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield (55) during the first period of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
