Johan Franzen missed most of the first period of the Red Wings’ Game 2 victory over the Coyotes after a check from Shane Doan sent him face-first into the boards. Per new NHL protocol, Franzen had to sit out for 15 minutes while being checked for concussion symptoms.
Upon his return to the ice, however, you could see the damage that Franzen’s face had sustained. He had a bandage covering a gash on his forehead that required 23 stitches and a cotton plug in his right nostril stopping a nosebleed. Franzen tried to inflict some payback on Doan in the second period but was called for a roughing penalty.
(He was also apparently still in the mood for a fight in the third period, drawing a cross-checking penalty that put the Wings in a 5-on-3 situation. The Coyotes scored on the power play to close within 4-3.)
After the Wings’ 4-3 win, a photo of Franzen speaking to the media in the locker room was posted to the official Red Wings Twitter account:
As the Wings’ Twitter said, “Two words: Hockey player!”