Getty Image / Ethan Miller
Winnipeg Jets center Morgan Barron just got his first taste of Stanley Cup Playoffs action in a game that he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
With just under 11 minutes left in the first period, Morgan Barron suffered a nasty cut on his face. The skate of Golden Knights goalie Laurent Brossoit unintentionally hit Morgan in the face and the cut was so deep it required over 75 stitches.
Miraculously, Barron would head down the tunnel to the locker room and get his face stitched up. 75+ stitches in total. And he would make it back into the game after 7ish minutes into the second period.
As a testament to his toughness, Barron would spend a total of 10:44 on the ice across three periods spread over 16 shifts.
Here is the moment he took a skate to the face and was forced off the ice to get stitches:
Morgan Barron has gone down the tunnel after suffering a cut to his face from the skate of Laurent Brossoit during a scramble in front of the net. pic.twitter.com/MwXUMFMIbX
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 19, 2023
After the game, Morgan Barron spoke to the media and was asked about what went through his mind after taking a skate to the face:
What was going through Barron’s head when he got cut last night?
Legend 🐻 pic.twitter.com/zbjAVuha2c
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 19, 2023
Morgan Barron reportedly received 75 stitches after an inadvertent skate to the face.
He’s still playing.
What a warrior 😧 pic.twitter.com/lc8KRbkHvU
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 19, 2023
The Winnipeg Jets went on to win the game 5-1 and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Barron told reporters he was “trying to figure out if the puck went in” which is a classic ‘Hockey Guy’ answer in that situation.
The incident kicked off countless memes from hockey fans impressed that Morgan Barron would make it back into the game after 75+ stitches to his face.
A classic ‘flesh wound’ meme that was all the rage after Elder Scrolls:
— Mervin Koscielny (@onmymerv) April 19, 2023
Someone had to do it:
Barron paid the blood sacrifice that led to the win!!
— ThisDaveNotThatDave (@DavidAdnum) April 19, 2023
Former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee had a lot to say about Barron’s grit:
Morgan Barron received 75 STITCHES and came back into the game last night..
These hockey players are CHOMPIONS of toughness #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/04SQFO2nM6
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 19, 2023
They’re just built different, indeed:
Morgan Barron required 𝟳𝟱 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦 after being cut in the face by a skate …
AND HE CAME BACK INTO THE GAME
Hockey players are different 😳 pic.twitter.com/XH87wHoTDF
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 19, 2023
Confirmed, he’s got that dawg in him:
Morgan Barron pic.twitter.com/SN1YZ8damV
— michael 🏛️🐍 (@eh_toque) April 19, 2023
The Morgan Barron memes go on and on. Just search his name on Twitter and there are hundreds.
It is worth pointing out that it’s hard to imagine an NBA or MLB athlete returning to the game after needing 75 stitches during a game. It’s almost unfathomable.