NHL

Maybe hockey players are the toughest athletes.

Islanders star Brock Nelson pulled his tooth out on the bench after being inadvertently hit in the mouth with a hockey stick Monday night -- and the scene was ... wild!

It happened during the Islanders-Maple Leafs game at Scotiabank Arena, Brock cleared the puck out of the defensive zone when Toronto star William Nylander's stick hit Nelson in the face.

The stick got Nelson pretty good ... dropping the former first-round pick and 10-year NFL veteran to the ice, and when he got back to his bench, he realized his tooth was hanging on for dear life.

Instead of waiting for his next dentist office visit, Brock took matters into his own hands -- literally -- pulling his tooth out and handing it to the team's trainer.

The craziest part -- Brock sprang up from his seat after the tooth removal and was ready to get back in the game.

Different.

Obviously, most tooth extractions are done in an office under the care of a dentist, using local anesthesia. But, not Brock Nelson's.

If you're wondering why "#FartGate" was trending Wednesday night, here ya go ... an NHL broadcaster (allegedly) let it rip on the air while calling the Canucks hockey game!!

It happened when Sportsnet broadcasters John Shorthouse and John Garrett were covering the Vancouver Canucks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning game at the Rogers Arena in Canada on Wednesday night.

Shorthouse was calling the game when out of nowhere, a fart, or what sounded like one, was clearly heard on the mic.

"Was that you?" Shorthouse asked his co-host.

Garrett denied being the one who dealt it, and the broadcasters both had a laugh.

But, hold up ... who did it?! No one knows!

Of course, passing gas during a live sports broadcast ain't nothing new ... remember the PGA championship mystery fart?!

Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to show up for his team's warmups on Tuesday night ... boycotting Philadelphia's decision to have its players wear rainbow-colored jerseys that supported the LGBTQ+ community.

Provorov, who ultimately ended up playing in the game after the Flyers switched back to their normal uniforms, said after the contest he made the decision due to his Russian Orthodox beliefs.

"I respect everybody and I respect everybody's choices," the 26-year-old said. "My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That's all I'm going to say."

Reporters attempted to ask Provorov further questions about the decision ... but he shut them down, saying, "Did you not hear what I just said? Can you respect that?"

Flyers head coach John Tortorella, meanwhile, seemed to back his player's choice ... telling media members after the game he never once considered not playing Provorov, despite the pregame protest.

"It's one thing I respect about Provy," the 64-year-old manager said. "He's always true to himself. And, so, that's where we're at with that."

The Flyers opted to wear the pregame kits -- as well as wrap their sticks with rainbow-colored tape -- in order to promote inclusivity in a sport that's historically struggled with diversity. Philly auctioned off its players' pregame items after the game, donating proceeds to groups who are helping grow hockey in diverse communities. Provorov was the only Flyer who didn't have memorabilia up in the auction.

The team spoke generically about the issue in a statement just before the game ... saying, "The Philadelphia Flyers organization is committed to inclusivity and is proud to support the LGBTQ+ community. Many of our players are active in their support of local LGBTQ+ organizations, and we were proud to host our annual Pride Night again this year. The Flyers will continue to be strong advocates for inclusivity and the LGBTQ+ community."

The NHL has yet to comment on it all.

Provorov ended up playing a team-high 22:45 minutes in the game against the Ducks, which Philadelphia won, 5-2.

Blake Lively might be a bit jealous this morning ... 'cause Ryan Reynolds was spotted kissing another hottie at the New York Rangers game -- NHL legend Henrik Lundqvist!!

The "Green Lantern" star hit up Madison Square Garden as the home team took on the Minnesota Wild Tuesday night ... and he was in good company, hanging with the future Hall of Famer as well as fellow actor Alexander Skarsgard.

As it turns out, the two thespians were in the mood to smooch ... 'cause both guys planted kisses on Lundqvist's cheek during the game -- and it was all shown on the jumbotron!!

Of course, Lundqvist is an icon in the Big Apple -- he played his whole career with the Rangers from 2000-2020, and had his jersey retired in January 2022.

As we previously reported, Reynolds -- a huge hockey fan -- is gunning to buy the Ottawa Senators ... and he's been spending a lot of time at NHL games recently.

Chris Pronger is one of the greatest hockey defenders ever, but perhaps he's more known for his own terrifying in-game medical emergency ... the former NHL MVP suffered commotio cordis after taking a slapshot to the heart during a playoff game in 1998.

TMZ Sports talked to the retired 48-year-old NHL great about the parallels between him and Damar Hamlin ... as many physicians have theorized the 24-year-old Bills safety also experienced the extremely rare heart issue.

"I got hit with a slapshot literally right in the heart and in between beats and that's called commotio cordis where you get hit in between beats. Your heart thinks it beat so it skips one beat. Sometimes the heart restarts, sometimes it doesn't," Pronger said of the May 10, 1998 incident in Detroit.

Although he lost consciousness and collapsed to the ice in terrifying fashion, fortunately for Chris, his heart started beating again on its own. He ultimately didn't require CPR or defibrillation. Video of the incident involving Chris is here ... but fair warning, it's difficult to watch.

"I kinda get up a little bit, stumble, couple strides and then collapse to the ice. The next thing you know, I'm waking up and I got my shirt cut open, all my stuff's off. I'm looking up at the rafters and looking up at the banners in Joe Louis Arena and looking over to my right, I can see our bench -- guys are crying."

"You don't really know what's going on. You're just kinda deer in the headlights talking to the doctor."

FYI, Hamlin's physicians, in a briefing from the hospital earlier this week, have said it's too early to determine if commotio cordis or another heart issue caused the medical emergency.

Whatever the cause, we know Hamlin's heart did not restart by itself. Fortunately, the Bills medical team immediately sprang into action, saving Damar's life.

"The placement of the trainers and doctors, medical staff, they have to pay attention to the game because you never know when something is gonna happen," Pronger says, adding ... "Kudos to them for being quick to jump out there. When you see somebody fall like that you clearly know something is not right."

When Pronger collapsed in the Motor City, his parents were in the arena to watch the game ... much like Damar's mom was in Cincinnati. Chris empathizes with what the Hamlin's are going through.

"This one seems like it's a lot more critical than mine was. Very similar in the beginning but as you watch, this one plays out, you know, applying CPR for a number of minutes on the field," Chris said.

"You feel for them. It's become a spectacle for them and it's a life-or-death situation. The last thing they're thinking about right now is football. They're thinking about the human side of things in Damar's life and getting back to some sense of normalcy as it relates to just life in general."

Todd Chrisley is soaking up every last bit of life on the outside before he goes away for a long time -- breaking bread with an unofficial family member ahead of guaranteed slop.

The reality TV star was spotted Wednesday grabbing lunch in Nashville with his daughter Savannah's ex-fiancé, Nic Kerdiles ... in what appeared to be just a two-man outing between them ... no other Chrisleys in sight. They dined at a place called Green Hills Grille.

Eyewitnesses tell us they were talking a lot, leaning in close as they chatted in deep, serious conversation.

Makes sense ... there's a lot of heaviness hovering over the family right now -- especially with Todd and his wife, Julie. He's staring at a 12-year sentence ... Julie's facing 7 years.

So, yeah ... nothing to really be cheerful about in the Chrisley household -- but at least Todd seems to be trying to get out and enjoy what's left of his fleeting freedom.

As for the grub ... Todd and Nic ordered a spinach and artichoke dip appetizer -- and each got rib rolls for their main course. Even more evidence TC is counting his days ... Lord knows he won't be eating that well in the joint.

Pete Davidson hit up the NY Rangers hockey game Thursday night, but it wasn't with Emily Ratajkowski ... instead, he was with actress and costar, Chase Sui Wonders.

Pete and Chase -- who costarred in the 2022 movie "Bodies Bodies Bodies" -- took in the Rangers-Maple Leafs game at Madison Square Garden in New York City Thursday night.

The actor and actress sat side-by-side as they watched the game together ... and appeared to be having a good time with each other.

What's interesting ... Pete and Chase's public outing comes less than a month after Davidson was at the World's Most Famous Arena to watch a Knicks game with Emily Ratajkowski.

The Knicks game came just days after Pete was captured on video attempting to pick up Em Rata from her West Village home ... the first woman he was seen with following his breakup with Kim Kardashian.

Since, there have been multiple reports suggesting Pete, 29, and Emily, 31, are getting more serious. Though it should be noted, Ratajkowski was recently photographed out with DJ Orazio Rispo, who she was previously linked to in October.

An NHL fan had his fingertip bitten off during an insane fight at the Coyotes vs. Bruins game on Friday ... this according to cops.

A spokesperson for the ASU Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... the melee happened at around 9:30 PM at Mullett Arena in Tempe -- when several Boston and Arizona fans got into a scrap.

Video shot by a bystander shows roughly half a dozen people -- including men and women -- shoved each other, threw drinks on each other ... and, at times, whaled on each other for roughly a minute.

Cops eventually jumped into the fray to break it all up -- and according to the ASU PD spokesperson, one fan, Nashaknik Allen Shontz, was arrested after he was accused of taking a chunk out of another person's finger during the fracas.

The spokesperson said Shontz was booked on one count of aggravated assault.

According to the spokesperson, five other people involved in the brawl were issued citations. Cops say they don't know what started the fight -- they're still investigating the matter.

It's unclear if the alleged victim was able to reattach the severed digit.

TikTok star Megan Eugenio -- AKA "Overtime Megan" -- is adamantly denying she took a picture in bed with Antonio Brown ... saying flat-out, the person in the snap "is not me."

A picture of the controversial ex-NFL superstar laying alongside a mystery woman made the rounds on social media this week ... which appeared to be a post on his personal Snapchat.

Given the person's appearance, fans of the sports personality initially speculated Megan was the one cozying up with A.B. ... but on Wednesday, she put an end to the rumors.

"I cannot believe I have to say this but that is not me," Eugenio said on Instagram alongside several crying laughing emojis.

Megan has a massive following on social media -- over 2 million on TikTok and 500k on Instagram -- and as of October 2022, was dating pro hockey player Cole Schwindt.

It's unclear who the woman in the pic actually is ... and if it was even real, given A.B.'s history of sharing Photoshopped images.

Remember, he inexplicably posted a poorly edited picture of Tom Brady's estranged wife Gisele to the social media app last month.

The timing is also uncertain, considering A.B. is currently busy dealing with police over an alleged domestic battery incident.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang -- one of the biggest stars in the NHL -- has suffered a stroke ... and will now be off the ice indefinitely, his team announced Wednesday.

General manager Ron Hextall said Letang was diagnosed with the stroke on Monday after suffering symptoms. The GM called the news "shocking" -- but added the 35-year-old is currently in good spirits.

"We are grateful that Kris is doing well," Hextall said. "We are thankful to the medical staff and the physicians at UPMC."

Letang -- who previously suffered a stroke in 2014 and missed over two months of that season -- has now been ruled out of Penguins games for the foreseeable future.

"He is a warrior on the ice," Hextall added, "but first and foremost, he is a son, father, husband and friend. His health is our number one priority."

Added Letang, "I am fortunate to know my body well enough to recognize when something isn't right."

"While it is difficult to navigate this issue publicly, I am hopeful it can raise awareness. It is important for me that my teammates, family and the fans know that I am okay. I am optimistic that I will be back on the ice soon."

Letang has played in 21 games this season, logging one goal and 11 assists.

Horrifying moment on the NHL ice Tuesday night ... Edmonton Oilers star Evander Kane's wrist was slashed so badly by a skate, he had to be rushed to the hospital.

Thankfully, however, doctors were able to repair the damage ... and the hockey player said he's now "on the mend."

The alarming incident happened in the second period of the Oilers' game against the Lightning at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay.

Kane collided with Lightning defenseman Phillipe Myers ... and unknowingly exposed his wrist as he fell to the ice. Pat Maroon then accidentally skated over Kane's arm while he was scrambling for the puck.

Video from the game's broadcast shows Kane immediately started pouring blood onto the ice. He appeared terrified ... and raced off the playing surface to his team's locker room for treatment.

Kane was transported to a nearby hospital and had immediate surgery. He posted on Twitter on Wednesday morning that everything went well -- and he's now recovering.

"Obviously last night was an extremely scary moment for me and I'm still in a little bit of shock," the 31-year-old said. "I would like to thank the entire training staff of the Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning, along with all the doctors and paramedics who rushed to help treat and repair my injury."

"Without all of you I know things would've been much worse and I'm sincerely grateful."

The 13-year vet said he'll miss some time ... but he vowed to be back on the ice soon.

José Altuve is still public enemy #1 in Los Angeles ... and the L.A. Kings made that clear by trolling the Houston Astros' star second baseman with a trash can reference during Thursday night's game.

The Kings were playing the Seattle Kraken at Crypto.com Arena ... when the announcer decided to have some fun at the expense of Altuve by playing a "look-alike" game on the jumbotron.

The game started innocently by showing people in the stands who resembled professional athletes like Dodgers star pitcher Tony Gonsolin and infielder Max Muncy -- but then it came time to have some fun.

The scoreboard then showed Altuve's picture, which was met with a chorus of boos ...  and then the image of a trash can was displayed as his doppelganger.

The fans immediately began cheering once they saw the side-by-side of Altuve and the trash can on the big screen ... and to make matters worse, someone was throwing out trash.

Altuve and the 'Stros defeated the L.A. Dodgers in seven games in the 2017 World Series, but L.A. fans feel robbed of that title after the Astros were found guilty of cheating.

In 2019, MLB determined that the Astros illegally used a video camera system and pounding on trash cans to steal signs during the 2017 regular season and postseason and parts of the 2018 season.

Since the scandal, the Dodgers have won the World Series in 2020 when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games ... and are currently vying for another this postseason.

A longtime L.A. Kings fan and season-ticket holder got pucked up before opening night Tuesday ... when a slap shot cleared the boards and hit the guy square in the face, breaking his nose and cutting his forehead.

The fan, Jeremy Aaronson, attended the game at Crypto.com Arena with his 11-year-old son. Prior to the first period, Aaronson and his boy were standing by the glass, watching the Kings players warm up before the game with the Vegas Golden Knights.

That's when a Kings player took a shot that sailed ... hitting Jeremy in the nose, breaking it in the process. Medics treated Aaronson at the arena, but his injuries required care from a doctor at the hospital.

So, instead of watching opening night live and in person, Jeremy was forced to ride in the back of an ambulance, and follow the game on his phone.

Thankfully, Jeremy's son was able to stay and watch the game with friends who happened to be at the arena.

As for his condition, Jeremy tells us he saw a specialist on Wednesday, and the doc told him his nose was broken. Aaronson will require further treatment from the nose doc once the swelling subsides.

Jeremy's forehead was also cut by the puck.

As for the team, we're told they reached out to Jeremy on social media the morning after the game ... and linked up with Jeremy on the phone later in the day.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have suspended Ian Cole ... after the defenseman was accused of grooming and sexually abusing a woman when she was a minor, the team announced Sunday.

"Our organization takes these allegations very seriously," Lightning officials said in a statement. "While we continue to gather more details, we have decided to suspend Ian Cole pending the results of an investigation."

"No members of the organization, including players, will comment further at this time."

On Friday, an anonymous Twitter user posted a lengthy statement alleging that Cole had emotionally and sexually abused her when she was in high school.

The accuser claimed Cole "was very well aware of my age and that I was a teen in high school," and said the hockey player had pressured her to have sex with him and to "do things without my consent, that I had made clear to him I was not ok with."

Cole -- who's played in the NHL for 15 seasons -- adamantly denied the allegations in a statement released Sunday night.

"I take the allegations made against me today in an anonymous tweet very seriously," he said.

"I completely deny these allegations and will fully cooperate with the NHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning, their offices, and legal departments in the forthcoming investigation."

According to ESPN, the suspension is considered paid leave.

Minnesota Wild player Brandon Baddock inadvertently socked a linesman in the face while fighting with Dallas Stars winger Jerad Rosburg during a preseason game ... and gotta say, refs got a chin!

It all went down Thursday night during the Minnesota Wild's game against the Stars ... Baddock was fighting Rosburg on the ice when linesman CJ Murray attempted to break up the scrap.

In the clip, you see Baddock elbow Rosburg, whose jersey was over his face ... prompting Murray to separate the two players.

At that moment, Baddock fired a straight right ... and it connected with the referee.

Murray, a former hockey player (probably why he didn't crumble to the ground), eventually restored order -- separating both players -- and it appears nobody was injured.

It was obviously an accident ... but, good luck getting a favorable call now.

P.K. Subban is hanging up his skates -- the NHL star announced Tuesday he's retiring after 13 seasons -- and looks forward to the "many exciting opportunities to come."

The 33-year-old broke the news in a letter via Instagram ... saying it was always his dream to play in the NHL and win the Stanley Cup, but, the championship part never happened.

"To this day, I still dream about it," Subban said, "However, the end of this chapter is closing and after 13 years in the NHL, I have made the decision to retire."

The defenseman went on to thank his family for all of their sacrifices throughout the years ... as well as the fans who have shown him love since day one.

"You picked me up when I was down, supported me through tough times, and had my back through it all!"

The free agent also praised the league for giving him a chance to compete ... and his fellow hockey players who "brought out the best in me" on the ice.

Subban started his pro hockey career in 2009 and played for the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, and New Jersey Devils. In 2013, he won the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the season's top defensive player.

He reportedly earned over $73 million during his 13 seasons.

Outside of hockey, Subban is known for his relationship with star skier Lindsey Vonn. The two got engaged in August 2019 before calling it off in December 2020.

Subban is also a philanthropist who raised millions for Montreal Children's Hospital, donated $50k to George Floyd's daughter, and launched 'P.K.'s Blue Line Buddies" that's focused on building a bond between the police and the youth.