Referee Dean Morton up-ended by Maple Leafs David Clarkson

NHL referee Dean Morton took a nasty spill in Friday's contest between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets. The official had to leave the game and would later be diagnosed with a broken rib.

Hockey is a rough game, no doubt about it, and even the officials have to be athletic and tough to get through an intense yearly schedule that normally sees them participate in over 80 games a season.

As evidence showed from the Mike Leggo illness incident last week, referees are humans and things can happen.

On Friday during the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets game at Air Canada Centre, referee Dean Morton took one for his team.

Morton tried to evade a falling David Clarkson in the first period of the contest by jumping over the forward. Unfortunately for Morton, it didn’t work out the way he envisioned and he was up-ended, taking a hard fall on the ice.

He was helped off the ice by medical staff and it was later confirmed that he suffered a broken rib thanks to the spill.

The game continued without Morton as the Maple Leafs defeated the Blue Jackets 5-2.