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 on Monday night in Buffalo.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 4-2 loss<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know who\u2019s working the penalty box over there, but I don\u2019t know if they should keep their job after what happened there, like, leaving the door open,\u201d Cooper said. \u201cThat could have hurt anybody on either team. Those are just dangerous situations, so a little frustrated on my part.\u201d<\/p>\n Holmberg, who did not return to the game, was spotted having his left arm in a sling following the game.<\/p>\n \u201cNot good,\u201d Cooper said when asked about the player\u2019s status, before abruptly ending his postgame news conference.<\/p>\n \u201cShould be fired,\u201d Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said upon leaving the locker room and overhearing a discussion over what happened.<\/p>\n Holmberg was injured following what appeared to be a clean open ice check from Buffalo\u2019s Peyton Krebs. Holmberg lost his balance and fell awkwardly into the penalty box door, which pushed open upon impact before the penalty box official slammed it shut.<\/p>\n Holmberg was checked at the same time the official was opening the door to release Buffalo\u2019s Zach Benson, whose roughing minor was expiring. Benson\u2019s penalty expired with 7:20 left in the period, and play stopped with 7:16 on the clock with Holmberg lying in pain on the ice.<\/p>\n Cooper’s frustration stemmed in part from losing another player to injury, with the Lightning already missing captain Victor Hedman<\/a> (personal leave) as well as Hagel (lower body), Scott Sabourin (lower body) and Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed).<\/p>\n The coach was also unhappy with the number of penalties officials called against both teams. Buffalo was issued seven minor penalties, and Tampa Bay six in a meeting of two teams now tied with 102 points atop the Atlantic Division standings. Both teams have clinched playoff spots.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many penalties that weren\u2019t even penalties. I don\u2019t know,\u201d Cooper said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt changes the way both teams play. I mean, what are we doing? Every time you touch somebody it\u2019s a penalty? Come on. Let the teams play,\u201d he added. \u201cThat\u2019s why everybody filled this building tonight. It sucked the fun out of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n