Aside from both of them being very good players, Steven Stamkos now has something else in common with his general manager Steve Yzerman and that’s taking a puck to the face in an NHL Playoff game.

In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals the other night the Tampa Bay superstar took a Johnny Boychuck slapshot directly to the face.

Stamkos eventually did return to the game with a pretty nasty mark on his nose and a new face shield for his helmet. Unfortunately for Stamkos the other thing he probably go in return was a bad headache that night since Boston went on to win the game 1-0 and the series 4-3.

This is a prefect example though that hockey player are some of the toughest professional athletes around.