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NHL star takes out referee with check from behind

CALGARY, Alberta -- Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman sent linesman Don Henderson to the ice when he checked him from behind during a game against the Nashville Predators.

In the second period Wednesday night, Wideman was skating toward the Flames' bench when he cross-checked Henderson, who had his back to the defenseman. Moments earlier, Wideman had taken a hit from the Predators' Miikka Salomaki.

Wideman said after the game that his hit to Henderson was unintentional.

"I took a pretty hard hit down in the corner and had some pretty good pain in my shoulder and my neck and I was just trying to get off the ice," Wideman said. "And I was kind of keeled over and at the last second, I looked up and I saw him and I couldn't avoid it."

There was no penalty called on Wideman on the play.

At the next stoppage, Wideman skated over to where the officials were gathered and apologized.

"Throughout my career - and I've been around for a few years - I think I've treated every official with the utmost respect," Wideman said, "and I would never intentionally try to hit a linesman or a ref or anything like that."

Wideman is in his 11th NHL season, and fourth with the Flames. The 32-year-old defenseman entered the game with 94 career goals, 275 assists and 471 penalty minutes. He has two goals, 19 points and 30 penalty minutes this season.

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