Penguins’ Noel Acciari helped off the ice after scary hit to the head by Brenden Dillon

Sports psychology and the Super Bowl

Sports psychology and the Super Bowl 00:37

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Penguins center Noel Acciari had to be helped off the ice after a high hit from Brenden Dillon of the Winnipeg Jets.

In the second period of Tuesday’s game at PPG Paints Arena, Dillon delivered a hit with his shoulder to Acciari’s head, knocking the Penguins center to the ice. The impact of the hit from the defenseman knocked Acciari’s helmet off. He later needed four teammates to help assist him in getting off the ice. 

Dillon was assessed a match penalty, which is a five-minute major penalty and an ejection from the game.  

The Penguins were leading 1-0 with 15 minutes, 45 seconds left in the second period when Dillon was ejected. The team later announced that Acciari would not return to Tuesday’s game, which the Penguins won 3-0. 

Acciari joined the Penguins this season after spending the previous eight years on multiple teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues last season.

This season, he has played in 38 games for the Penguins. He has scored three goals and tallied one assist. He signed a three-year deal with the Penguins this offseason. 

In 2022, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said he was “surprised” that Dillon didn’t face any discipline for his hit that broke Teddy Blueger’s jaw. Dillon was not penalized on the ice for that hit in 2022.

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Michael Guise

Michael Guise is a web producer for KDKA-TV. He has worked for the station since 2019.

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