Midway through the second period of Saturday’s Capitals-Wild game, Washington captain and leading goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin went down face first on the ice in a pool of blood after taking a puck to the face.
Video
Yah, he’s coming back for the third. Hockey players, man. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/7zw8mypHnJ
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 19, 2017
Ovechkin was trying to intercept a pass, but instead of poking the puck into space the chuck of hardened, frozen rubber rode up Ovi’s stick before appearing to catch him in the mouth and cheek.
Here’s a closer look.
It took about a minute before Ovechkin was able to get up and head down the tunnel to the locker room, leaving a nasty stain in his wake.
Ovechkin missed the remaining 11 minutes of the second frame.
#Caps captain Alex Ovechkin will return in the third period.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 19, 2017
With a gnarly cut on his right lip, Ovechkin returned for the third period.
Okay so it was Alex Ovechkin's right lip that was opened up. pic.twitter.com/G9IP4D1VOY
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) November 19, 2017
Of course he did. Russian machine never breaks.
