Mats Zuccarello left a recent game with an injury, and now his Wild teammate has just revealed that he got the puck right in the testicle, a very painful area.
Last Thursday, the Minnesota Wild faced off against the Canadiens in a game that ended with a 3-0 victory for the Wild.
Despite the loss, the Habs showed some solid play, and it marked their only defeat in their last four outings.
The game took an unfortunate turn for Mats Zuccarello.
Stationed in front of the Canadiens' net, he was struck by a shot from his own teammate, Brock Faber, and it really hit him where it hurt.
The aftermath proved to be more serious than initially thought, as Zuccarello required surgery for a torn testicle sustained in the incident.
After the fact, teammate Marcus Foligno expressed just how grim things felt at the time, even joking that teammates thought he might 'lose a nut.'
Actually, it was a rather somber moment, as even Foligno further explained how the shot fully dented Zuccarello's protective cup.
Not because he didn't have much gear, but rather, the force of the puck was enough to still do plenty of damage.
Thankfully, doctors expect Zuccarello to make a full recovery.
His teammates have managed to keep things in perspective, playfully teasing him about all the things he cannot do for the time being, but the Norwegian forward could be back on the ice before Christmas.
One thing's for sure: Zuccarello will likely be investing in some upgraded protective equipment moving forward.
After all, as bad as the injury was, it could have been far worse without the cup.
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