"And people say NFL players are tougher than NHL players": Fans laud a very swollen face'd Tom Wilson for scoring twice after taking puck to the face

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson showed his toughness on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens. In the first period, he was struck directly in the left cheek by a blistering slapshot from his teammate Jakob Chychrun.

The impact left Wilson's face badly swollen as he headed to the locker room for treatment.

Nevertheless, Wilson returned before the end of the first period and scored two goals, including the game-winner, in the Capitals' 4-2 victory.

Fans reacted on social media, praising Wilson for his gritty performance. One made comparisons with NFL players, tweeting:

"And people ask if NFL players are tougher than NHL players, good lord"

Another wrote:

"Literally the guy EVERY team wishes they had. Hard worker, gritty, skilled, for the boys guy. One of a kind"

Here are some more fan reactions:

"Not a bit Tom Wilson fan but respect for staying in the game and scoring two goals. NBA player would be out for the season with this injury," one wrote.

"I couldn’t imagine going on a flight with THAT much of a wound, it’s only going to bubble even more when at a higher altitude," another posted.

"Mild hematomas and contusions will usually heal in about five days. A large hematoma may last weeks to months and as it heals it will change color and slowly shrink," a user commented.

"Can you imagine this happening to LeBron??? He'd be out a month. Durant??? He'd be out two months. Embiid??? He'd miss the rest of the seaso," another user wrote.

The overwhelming reaction was amazement at Wilson's fortitude in not just returning to the game but dominating offensively after a seemingly painful injury.

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Tom Wilson shares thoughts after puck hit his face

Tom Wilson gave a candid account of his scary encounter with a flying puck that left him momentarily shaken. After their victory over the Montreal Canadiens, Wilson described the initial shock of impact with a characteristic hockey-player stoicism.

"When the puck hits you, I feel like the side of my face is falling off a little," Tom Wilson shared, reflecting the immediate uncertainty players face in such moments.

His first instinct was to assess the damage:

"Am I bleeding, am I cut? What's going on?"

True to his old-school hockey upbringing, Wilson didn't let the incident keep him sidelined for long.

"I was kinda told growing up if you're good to play, you play," Wilson said. "Did a couple tests and was good enough to get back out there," Wilson said.

With a touch of dry humor about his swelling face, he admitted that his face won’t look good the next morning.