Filip Chytil has close call with skate to the face

In tonight's game between the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes, a player was just inches away from sustaining the scariest injury in hockey - a skate to the face.

Near the Carolina bench, Filip Chytik goes to finish his check and rub Jesperi Kotkaniemi off the puck. Kotkaniemi falls into the bench, raising his legs into the air, where his blade comes inches from doing serious damage to Chytil's face. Luckily, Chytil remained in the game with nothing more than a bloody lip.


While it was't in one of the more typical locations for a skate injury, this will come across the league's radar as another instance of a dangerous play, necessitating greater protective equipment for players. This adds to the case in favour of adding additional protective equipment, even potentially for the abolition of visors in favour of cages.


The Rangers went on to secure an important victory in a close game, beating the Hurricanes by a score of 2-1.