Ice hockey: NHL player survives close shave with rival

Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere literally survived a close shave when a rival’s stray leg sent the blade of an ice-skate into his face.

In the first period of the NHL season opener against the Los Angeles Kings, the former rookie found himself in a race for the puck against Kings forward Kyle Clifford.

Clifford, who managed to gain an inch on Gostisbehere, suddenly tripped and fell hands first into the ice while his legs kicked high into the face of his pursuer.

Gostisbehere immediately fell clutching his face with fears the 23-year-old had suffered a horrific injury.

However, Gostisbehere managed to avoid disaster – save for a deep gash to his right cheek – by a razor thin margin.

“I just looked up and something hit me” the defenceman told the Courier Post.

“I checked real quick and realised I was leaking a bit.

“God was with me on that on. I’ll thank him for that”

Not one to tarnish the reputation of the hardened hockey player, Gostisbehere astonishingly returned to play later in the game to help his team to a 4-2 win.