Jay Beagle served as a human pincushion for hockey sticks during Thursday night’s Washington Capitals-Pittsburgh Penguins game.
The veteran Capitals forward’s first brush with lumber came during the second period, when Kris Letang’s stick somehow became lodged in the space between Beagle’s helmet and visor.
“It was weird,” Beagle told reporters after the game, via The Washington Post. “I’ve never had that happen before. I don’t know if it’s ever happened before. … I definitely knew there was a stick in my visor, I just couldn’t believe that it was stuck. I tried to pull it a couple times to get it out so I could just continue on with the play. It wouldn’t come out, then I figured, ‘I might as well get back to the bench. I’m useless right now.’ ”
Beagle was victimized again one period later, with Phil Kessel’s stick catching in the gap in his left skate. Kessel unsurprisingly was called for tripping on the play.
Beagle and the Caps won 4-3 in overtime to take a 1-0 lead in their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
