WATCH: Sharks Coach Gets Walloped In The Head By Puck, Returns After Getting Stitches

A puck clobbered San Jose Sharks assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky just above his left eye on Wednesday night, and he returned to the bench after getting stitches.

Late in the first period of the Sharks’ game against the Dallas Stars, a puck deflected off the stick of Stars’ winger Joe Pavelski and sailed toward the bench. The puck missed the players sitting there, but, unfortunately for Warsofsky, the puck smacked him in the side of the head.

TNT’s cameras showed the assistant coach with a towel on the side of his head and a trainer next to him as the two walked down the tunnel for medical treatment.

“It happens quickly, boy; always have to have your hands up there,” color commentator Darren Pang said. “But with the players in front of you as an assistant coach, you’re the last guy to see it. It’s like a moving screenshot.”

Pang referenced when hockey players stand in front of the goalie to block their view of a puck shot into the net, so the goalie cannot see the puck.

Halfway through the second period, Warsofsky was back behind the bench with a giant gash and stitches above his left eye. Pang and analyst Shane Hnidy began to poke fun at the number of stitches the assistant coach received in the first intermission.

“There he is on the left side. He’s got, oh, what do you think, Shane? I counted eight-ten,” Pang added.

“Sounds about right,” Hnidy continued. “He did try to block it, just like you said. It happens so quick, but he’d feel better if his team can find a power-play goal.”

The former defenseman, who is in his first year as an assistant coach at the NHL level, showed off his grit as did his hockey team, rallying from down three goals to beat the Stars 5-3.

Watch above via NHL on TNT.