Flames' Wideman sends linesman to ice with check from behind

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) 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.