Nugent-Hopkins to play in Sunday’s game
Barons center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who left Friday’s game after getting hit in the mouth with a stick, participated in practice Saturday morning and will play in Sunday afternoon’s game against the Texas Stars.
Nugent-Hopkins, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NHL draft, had an upper front tooth chipped and another pushed back.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to keep it to be honest with you,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “(The dentist) said he could reposition them… It was an accident. He didn’t mean to do it on purpose.”
Nugent-Hopkins, 19, will wear a full face mask hockey players refer to as a “cheese grader” or “cage.” He last regularly wore a full face mask at age 15 in midgets with the Vancouver Northwest Giants.
“It restricts you a little bit but once you get used to it you learn to live with it,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “Obviously you grew up playing with them.”
Opponents have played physical against the Edmonton Oilers young stars that are playing with the Barons during the lockout.
“It is chippier down here (in the American Hockey League),” Nugent-Hopkins said. “You just have to play around that kind of stuff.”.”
Thank you for joining our conversation on Beat Baldwin. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.
[...] is chippier down here [in the American Hockey League],” Ryan Nugent Hopkins told Mike Baldwin at The Oklahoman. “You just have to play around that kind of stuff.” It is not surprising that [...]