Today In NHL History - Puck Hits Yzerman's Eye

On May 1st in 2004, Detroit Red Wings superstar Steve Yzerman was struck in the eye by teammate Matthieu Schneider's second period slapshot in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semfinals against the Calgary Flames, falling the captain and silencing fans at Joe Louis Arena.

Yzerman endured a four hour surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone and scratched cornea missing the rest of the playoffs and subsequent World Cup of Hockey, during which Joe Thornton and Joe Sakic refrained from wearing number 19 out of respect for their injured countryman. Yzerman returned in the 2005–06 season wearing a visor.

Calgary beat Detroit that afternoon by a score of 1-0 and stole Game 6 by the same margin to win the series 4-2, before eventually losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning by one goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

That's today in NHL history.