Home / News / Matt Niskanen blocks shot with face, gets 15 stitches, come back, gets assist, looks like he has fruit punch mouth

Matt Niskanen blocks shot with face, gets 15 stitches, come back, gets assist, looks like he has fruit punch mouth

By Peter Hassett

 4 Comments

November 30, 2019 9:58 am

Ex-Cap defender Matt Niskanen sure had a day yesterday. In Philadelphia’s 6-1 blowout win over the Detroit Red Wings, Niskanen had the following stat line:

  • 17 minutes on ice
  • 2 assist
  • FIFTEEN STITCHES AFTER HE BLOCKED A PUCK WITH HIS FACE

This is going to be one of those stories where we get in trouble from our advertising network because the content is gory. Enjoy.

Video

Okay. So. Detroit defender Dennis Cholowski took an innocent shot from the blue line that was a bit higher than you’d want. Still, it found traffic up front. Except: that traffic was Matt Niskanen’s face. Niskanen covered his face, and then — in defiance of the human condition itself, he stayed in the play while blood leaked out of his head.

Niskanen left the ice, but came back with a full cage mask, some absorbent products stuffed into his nose, and a bunch of fresh stitches. Upon returning, Niskanen fed Sean Couturier for this gorgeous rush goal.

So I suppose his eyesight wasn’t too hindered by the cage. That’s a great read. The Flyers whipped the Red Wings 6-1 and now sit third in the division.

After the game, Niskanen was his typical low-key self about the injury, saying it looks worse than it feels.

Niskanen has two goals and nine assists through 26 games this season. He’s averaging 21.7 minutes a night, and right now he looks like he drank too much fruit punch at a five-year-old’s birthday party.

Check out our gift guide for deals on bobbleheads, shirts, signed pucks, and bunch of other cool stuff.

, ,