Tom Wilson took a puck to the face at the end of the Washington Capitals’ 7-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. The deflected pass ramped up into his mouth, sending the winger off the ice bleeding and forcing him to miss the final 4:24 of regulation.
“He’s got a huge gash on his upper lip,” head coach Spencer Carbery said postgame. “He’ll need repairs.”
Thursday, Wilson revealed to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that he needed more than 20 stitches to close the gash, but will be available to play later in the night against the Los Angeles Kings. Unlike his last run-in with a puck to the face,Wilson did not break any bones so he will not be forced to don a full face shield for a second time this year.
The 30-year-old winger was previously struck by a Jakob Chychrun point shot against the Montreal Canadiens on December 7. While Wilson returned in that game to score two goals, the puck broke one of the bones in his sinus cavity, forcing him to wear the bubble visor for nearly a whole month.
Wilson has taken some extensive facial damage two years in a row. Last season, he took an errant stick and a punch to the face against the Kings, needing his broken nose reset by a doctor.
The Capitals’ alternate captain is having a career-best season, recording 54 points (29g, 25a) through 64 games. He chipped in two assists in 15:21 of ice time against the Ducks.
