The National Hockey League can be brutal at the best of times, and New York Islanders star Brock Nelson was forced to remove his own tooth after taking a stick to the face.
The Islanders were thrashed 5-2 on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena, as the Toronto Maple Leafs ran riot on home ice. But Nelson felt the full force of the Canadian side in particular, as he left the arena missing a tooth.
Nelson was caught with William Nylander's stick after attempting to clear the puck from the defensive zone. His tooth became dislodged, but rather than wait for medical treatment, he took it upon himself to remove it on the bench.
To play in the NHL it's an unwritten requirement to be tough, with the game being so physical and fast-paced. But Nelson proved his pain tolerance by calmly removing a tooth and handing it to a member of the Islanders staff.
Nelson returned to the ice, and will probably be heading to a dentist at some point in the near future. And to make matters worse, the Islanders were outclassed by the Leafs, despite heading into the second period 1-0 up.
Somehow, Nylander escaped a high-sticking penalty for the incident even though Nelson was initially faced down on the ice. But although he left the Scotiabank with one less tooth, he certainly earned some respect.
Nelson is enjoying another strong season with the Islanders, scoring 17 goals and clocking up 25 assists in 49 games. The 31-year-old has spent his entire career with the Islanders after being drafted in the first-round back in 2010.
The Islanders centre has made 676 NHL appearances, scoring 205 goals since joining the league. However, even with Nelson's vast experience, Monday night was a first for the 31-year-old.
It was a cheap hit from Nylander, with fans debating whether it was intentional or not. But one thing that was intentional was his exceptional performance for the Leafs on Monday.
Nylander scored two goals and grabbed two assists all in the second period, setting up John Tavares and Calle Jarnkrok. Auston Matthews grabbed the fifth in the final period, as the Leafs responded in the perfect way after suffering defeat against fierce rivals Montreal Canadiens.
The Leafs are tied for second in the Eastern Conference, and clear in second spot by some margin in the Atlantic Division. The Islanders are on a poor run of form, and need to pick it up if they are to have any play-off hopes this season.
