Blackhawks' Nazar plans to play against Sabres after losing 2 teeth

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CHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar lost two of his top front teeth when he was hit by a puck in the second period of Saturday’s 5-3 loss to St. Louis.

Nazar planned to play Monday night against Buffalo with a protective cage over his face.

“Got it pretty good, but could be a lot worse,” Nazar said. “So pretty thankful.”

The 22-year-old Nazar was sidelined for a month after he broke his jaw when he was hit in the face by a puck during a 6-4 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 20. He returned on Jan. 22 at Carolina.

Nazar, a first-round pick in the 2022 draft, has 15 goals and 26 assists in 64 games in his third NHL season. He agreed to a $46.2 million, seven-year extension with Chicago in August.

Defenseman Ethan Del Mastro also is expected to play against the Sabres. The 23-year-old Del Mastro was scratched on Saturday because of an unspecified injury.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL