Murphy on taking puck to lip twice: 'It hit the same exact spot' originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Connor Murphy has had some brutal luck to open the season after he got hit in the face with a puck twice in a three-day span. In the exact same spot, too.
Last Tuesday, Murphy took a puck to the lip the day before the Blackhawks' season-opener in Colorado and left the ice with a towel over his mouth after just the second or third drill of the day. He needed a few stitches on his lip and tongue and did not return to practice.
Two days later, Murphy was minutes into pregame warmups against the Vegas Golden Knights before leaving the ice early because he got hit with a stray puck in the same spot on his lower lip. His teammate Philipp Kurashev took a shot and the puck ricocheted off the crossbar and smacked Murphy's mouth.
Fortunately for Murphy, he didn't miss that night's game and had a positive attitude about the whole thing.
"I just thought it was more funny that it hit in the same exact spot," a smiling Murphy told NBC Sports Chicago. "It wouldn't stop bleeding the whole game. The bench was just littered with blood on the floor. It's just a lip though, it's not a big deal."
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The biggest problem wasn't whether or not Murphy needed to get his lip restitched. It was the fact his teeth got pushed back, which caused "new problems on the inside."
"I have a permanent retainer on the inside of my teeth and the gums, and my lip wrapped around and got caught on it," Murphy said. "They had to rip the skin off to get it detached and the teeth were a little pushed in, so they had to put a fake bar to hold it for a little bit in front. It was just funny how it was the same spot."
Murphy said something like this has never happened to him before, and he probably hopes it won't ever happen again. The good news is, he got through Tuesday's practice unscathed. Progress.
"It's just funny how it all worked out," Murphy said. "Luckily I've gone a few days now without any injury."
