May 1, 2025; Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi speaks with the media. Two days earlier, he took a high stick above the eye that led to the Canes' eventual series-winning goal. [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/d8560dce-5885-45ff-8d29-2beefe4a1ab3.jpeg] May 1, 2025; Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi speaks with the media. Two days earlier, he took a high stick above the eye that led to the Canes' eventual series-winning goal. Obviously the play of the game, and the series, Tuesday night at Lenovo Center was Sebastian Aho's double-overtime winner. The Finnish center one-timed the puck past Jacob Markstrom on the power play for a 5-4 win and to eliminate the New Jersey Devils in five games [https://thehockeynews.com/shortUrl/8RgPQyd]. But to even get that power play opportunity in the first place, Jesperi Kotkaniemi had to take one for the team. Kotkaniemi took a stick to the face from Devils forward Dawson Mercer as the latter tried to exit the zone, resulting in a four-minute, double minor penalty. Apr 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) is high sticked by New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer (91) (not shown) in the second overtime in game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/33f43b86-5d87-407b-9081-8e491e122ae6.jpeg] Apr 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) is high sticked by New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer (91) (not shown) in the second overtime in game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images) Immediately when it happened, the Finnish center fell to the ice clutching at his head and then was ushered off to the locker room with a bloody towel covering his face. "At the time, I didn't know," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, on how close Kotkaniemi came to disaster. "I had no idea what the injury was and then we won right after that. He dodged a bullet. Stick got up there pretty good. Doesn't look great, but he's okay. Lucky." While it's hard to say he was necessarily 'lucky' to get the kind of injury that he did, it really is the truth of the matter because Mercer's stick made contact with him just mere centimeters from his actual eye. "Wasn't too bad," Kotkaniemi said, as calm and cool as usual. "Just saw it leaking a little bit. I was able to see the whole time so [I knew] it wasn't too bad." "KK took one for the boys," Aho said following Game 5 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/game-day/it-felt-unreal-rod-brindamour-jaccob-slavin-andrei-svechnikov-jackson-blake-sebastian-aho-on-double-overtime-winner-first-series-win]. "I know he doesn't mind at all. He'll trade a few stitches in the corner of his eye to clinch a series. Kotkaniemi doesn't know how many stitches he had to get, as he was too focused on trying to get back out onto the ice as soon as possible. "That was tough," Kotkaniemi said. "Just laying down and getting stitches with both eyes closed. I heard the crowd all the time so I was just trying to feel what was going on and then I finally heard the big thing going off so it was a big relief." While he does still have a bit of puffiness around the eye, Kotkaniemi says he has no other vision issues and feels he'll be good to go for the start of Round 2. He also doesn't plan on wearing the full bubble shield once he's back on the ice. All in all, Kotkaniemi wasn't very upset about the injury — he is a hockey player after all and it doesn't seem like it's going to impede him much — but that was pretty much mostly because it led to the eventual Aho game winner. "I don't mind it if he keeps doing what he's doing," Kotkaniemi said, with a laugh. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/latest-news/carolina-hurricanes-2025-stanley-cup-playoffs-hub] for all postseason stories! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwmeDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] to never miss a story.
