O'Byrne Feeling Fortunate After Skate to Face
The following article featuring former Cornell standout Ryan O'Byrne appeared March 7 on the National Hockey League (NHL) Web site.
By Rick Sadowski
NHL.com Correspondent
CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Ryan
O'Byrne realizes how fortunate he is, even after needing three
hours of surgery and about 100 stitches to repair the left side of
his face and mouth after getting sliced with a razor-sharp
skate.
If the Colorado Avalanche defenseman had been struck a
few inches higher or lower, the injury could have been far
worse.
"Absolutely," O'Byrne said Monday after practicing while wearing a
full protective cage at the South Suburban Family Sports Center.
"They said there's a nerve there, and (the skate) just missed it.
It kind of cut right through, but the nerve was intact. It would
have been pretty tough. I would have had kind of a droopy look. It
could have hit me in the eye or in the neck. A hundred stitches
still, but it could have been worse, for sure."
Complete article can be accessed via the NHL Web site by clicking here.
