The Washington Capitals added a desperately needed win on Saturday night as they defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
The night was all about the tenacity and fight of Capitals enforcer Tom Wilson, whose resilience proved key to the win.
The game opened with Tom Wilson taking a puck to the face early in the first period, a blow that immediately called to mind a serious injury.
Tough skater or not, obvious pain and a quick exit from the ice after just 12 minutes of action made many fans and teammates concerned for his condition.
Incredibly, following that incident, Wilson picked himself up and back into the game, great, too. Mangled face and all, he jumped right back into the action and scored two pivotal goals in the Capitals win.
From the bench, it was serious. There was considerable swelling on the side of Wilson's face and his insistence that he could continue to play only reinforced a reputation as one of the league's toughest players.
Immediately after the match, Wilson spoke with the press, and the full extent of his facial trauma was staggering; one would have thought he had a beach ball stored in his cheek. He even looked to appear in shock when he must have first seen it.
It was in those moments, too much bundled into a mere gesture, that one could understand quite clearly why Wilson stands as one of the true warriors in the NHL, a man who gives every ounce for his hockey club.
POLL | ||
Does Tom Wilson deserve to be on team Canada? | ||
Yes | 35 | 42.2 % |
No | 48 | 57.8 % |
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