Jets' Barron has stitches removed after facial cut in Game 1, will go back to visor

Winnipeg Jets center Morgan Barron (36) plays with a bandage against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

LAS VEGAS -- Jets forward Morgan Barron will go back to his regular visor starting Thursday night after using a full cage on his helmet for most of Winnipeg's first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Barron needed over 75 stitches after he was cut in the face by Vegas goaltender Laurent Brossoit's skate blade during a goalmouth scramble in Game 1.

The skate was briefly jammed between Barron's half-visor and the side of his head.

"It feels good, it's coming along," Barron said Thursday after a morning practice at T-Mobile Arena. "No real pain with it or anything. I'm just dealing with the scar."

Winnipeg entered play needing a road victory in Game 5 to send the series back to Canada Life Centre for a Game 6 on Saturday. If necessary, a seventh and deciding game would be played Monday in Las Vegas.

Vertical stitches, that ran from the top of Barron's forehead to beside his right eye, have been removed. Swelling in the area has improved but there is still noticeable bruising and some redness in the eye.

Barron also used his regular visor at practice Wednesday.

"I felt it was time," he said. "It was always when the stitches came out, I'd be able to switch back. They just came out and everything looked good underneath. So it's just having a little bit of extra vision out there and one less thing impairing it.

"Whether it be your peripherals or looking down at the puck or whatever, I think it should be helpful."

Barron said he didn't get an exact number on the number of stitches needed to close the gash.

"They said they lost count," he said. "I don't know exactly what it was. It was kind of chaotic in there, just with trying to get it stitched up as quick as possible. So I'm not 100 per cent sure.

"I think there was like 40 or 50 maybe in total on the outside and then whatever (absorbable sutures were) left on the inside."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2023.