NHL Official Steve Kozari Returns to Ice, Officiates Stanley Cup Playoff Game After Major Collision

Monday, April 22nd, 2024

Steve Kozari, a veteran NHL referee who was sidelined after a mishap in a match featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the month, made a comeback on the rink for the game where the Vancouver Canucks emerged victorious over the Nashville Predators with a score of 4-2 this Sunday.

After the incident, which involved Tampa Bay Lightning's Haydn Fleury and resulted in Kozari missing the remainder of the regular season, he returned to duty with officials Kyle Rehman, Michel Cormier, and Bevan Mills for company.

The accident with Fleury took place at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on April 6. It left Kozari immobilized on the ice for a time. He was promptly transported to a hospital as a precautionary measure, though he was conscious and alert throughout.

Having been with the NHL Officials Association since 2003, Kozari has participated in the Stanley Cup Final on four occasions. The game on Sunday marked the first instance of a home playoff game happening in Vancouver since the year 2015.

Throughout the game, the officiating team imposed a total of 12 minutes of penalties, with the Canucks receiving eight of those minutes.

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