Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic left with black eye after taking puck to the face while on bench
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Penguins backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was left with a black eye after getting hit in the face by a stray puck while on the bench during Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche at PPG Paints Arena.
Nedeljkovic took the errant puck to the face in the first period after it bounced off the stick of an Avalanche player. He was helped to the locker room by team personnel before returning to the bench during the second period. It appeared Nedeljkovic was left with a bruised cheek and a black eye after the incident. The Penguins have not provided an update on his status.
Nedeljkovic was seated in the area of the bench that is normally reserved for the team's backup goalie. The 28-year-old has a 4-5-3 record this season for the Penguins with a 3.37 goals-against average in 13 games.
In the offseason, Penguins and Nedeljkovic agreed to a two-year contract worth $2.5 million per season. The contract runs through the 2025-26 season.
The Avalanche beat the Penguins 6-2 on Tuesday.
