Bruins star avoids injury after a big dunk in the face

BOSTON — One of the of David Pastrnak best friends in the NHL almost sent Bruins star at the dentist.

William Nylander and Pastrnak have been friends since they were teenagers playing together in Swedenbut that didn’t stop the Maple Leafs forwards from sticking Boston in the mouth.

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It wasn’t a mean hit, which is why Nylander only received a double minor penalty after video review, but it was reckless as the Leafs’ blade caught Pastrnak unexpectedly well after the puck left the zone.

Pastrnak, who scored his sixth goal of the season early in the game, was left on the ice for several moments, prompting the officials to stop the game. But he didn’t go to the locker room. Because the game was stopped on his behalf, he was unable to stay on the ice, but returned as soon as the puck was dropped.