During the Philadelphia Flyers-Washington Capitals game on Friday, newly acquired Philly defenseman Steve Downie got into a bit of a tustle with the Caps’ Aaron Volpatti. On the surface, the fight seemed like your everyday run-of-the-mill bout, but Volpatti got one punch in that really did a number on Downie’s face.

downiepunch

And here’s a picture from Downie’s return to hockey on Thursday. Looking straight grizzly.

steve-downie-black-eye

If a black eye is the price to pay to earn the trust of new teammates in the NHL, it’s well worth it.

[SportressOfBlogitude]