Bad things happen when 6 ounces of frozen vulcanized rubber strikes human body parts. Daniel Winnik was lucky on Thursday when he only lost a hunk of ear.
Penalty killers put their health, if not life, on the line several times every game. Winnik did so when he slid to block a shot.
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Reilly Smith of the Panthers would up the shot and unleashed it as Winnik slid into the puck's path.
Had he not turned his head, Winnik would have taken the blast in the face.