It didn’t matter.
Not only did he return to the game, he scored two goals, including the game-winner, as the Capitals defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2.
It was just the latest example of how the Capitals have gone 6-2-1 since red-hot scorer and captain Alex Ovechkin went out with a fractured fibula last month, pausing his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record.
The puck to Wilson’s face happened with about eight minutes left in the first period. He returned to the ice with a little more than a minute left in the first.
‘My dad always told me if you’re good to play, you play,’ Wilson told Sportsnet after the game. ‘I went to the room and got checked out and felt good enough to get back out there.’
The Capitals were down 2-0 at that point, but Pierre-Luc Dubois scored 33 seconds into the second period and Wilson scored at 7:10 and 11:48 of the third period to put Washington ahead 3-2. Dylan Strome made it 4-2 with a power-play goal.
Wilson realized his face didn’t look great but said he was feeling pretty good at the moment.
‘We’ll see when we land after the flight and try to get to bed,’ he said. ‘It might set in a little bit, but it’s a fun win.’
