NHL: Commentator Pierre McGuire lucky to avoid being struck by errant puck

Sitting rinkside at an ice hockey game, many have a lingering fear of the possibility of being struck by an errant puck.

Sports broadcaster Pierre McGuire almost had that fear become reality yesterday.

While working at the NHL game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets, McGuire came millimetres from being struck by a puck that flew into the dugout.

He was lucky it missed him, because a slow-motion image of the incident showed the broadcaster's reactions would not have saved him.

Tampa Bay won the match 5-1.