Officials across all sports have to deal with projectiles being thrown from the stands during game time, but one NHL referee had a pretty unique way of dealing with one without stopping play.
Someone threw a beach ball onto the ice during Game 4 of the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators’ first-round playoff matchup at TD Garden on Tuesday, and referee Brad Meier had to come to the rescue. But instead of popping the ball or throwing it back over the glass, Meier shoved it up the back of his shirt.
The beach ball didn’t stay put for long, but it fell out just before the Senators were called for icing, so there was no extra stoppage. Bruins winger David Pastrnak was able to pop it back into the stands with his stick in the meantime.
Still, a beach ball is very tame compared to what other referees have had to deal with. Just ask the ones who worked during the New England Patriots’ game against the Bills in Buffalo this past season.
