NHL investigating after Lightning forward Pontus Holmberg hurt arm crashing into unlatched penalty box door
Pontus Holmberg, who did not return, was spotted having his left arm in a sling following the game.
Mar 12, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Pontus Holmberg (29) controls the puck against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck/Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images BUFFALO, N. Y.
— The NHL is looking into the circumstances that led to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Pontus Holmberg hurting his left arm when he crashed shoulder-first into an unlatched penalty box door. A league spokesman otherwise had no further comment in response to Lightning coach Jon Cooper questioning whether the penalty box operator should be fired over what happened in the third period of the Lightning’s 4-2 loss at Buffalo. “I don’t know who’s working the penalty box over there, but I don’t know if they should keep their job after what happened there, like, leaving the door open,” Cooper said.
“That could have hurt anybody on either team,” he added. “Those are just dangerous situations, so a little frustrated on my part. ” Holmberg, who did not return, was spotted having his left arm in a sling following the game.
“Not good,” Cooper said when asked about the player’s status, before abruptly ending his postgame news conference. “Should be fired,” Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said upon leaving the locker room and overhearing a discussion over what happened. Holmberg was injured following what appeared to be a clean open ice check from Buffalo’s Peyton Krebs.