Chris Tanev is no stranger to the dentist chair, and the Dallas Stars defenceman will be back in it after Game 5 against the Colorado Avalanche.
On the first shift of the game, the 34-year-old took a hit from Nathan MacKinnon and went down the tunnel to get repairs done.
Head coach Pete DeBoer said after the game that Tanev had a tooth pulled but that didn’t keep him off the ice. Tanev played 19:59 of ice time in the game in a losing effort against the Avalanche.
“From what I understood, it got pushed in,” DeBoer told reporters. “They had to pull it in order for him to come back. He didn’t miss much, though.
“He doesn’t have many teeth left. He didn’t have many to begin with.”
This isn’t the first time Tanev has had dental work done.
Back in 2018, while he was with the Vancouver Canucks, Tanev took a shot off his face, which led to teeth being scattered on the ice. Tanev lost six and a half teeth with two of his front bottom teeth pushed under his tongue.
The Stars missed a chance to end their series against the Avalanche and will have another chance Friday night in Denver. Watch Game 6 on Thursday on Sportsnet and Sportnset+ at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.