Hockey is a real man's sport. The players play hard and the hits are real and nobody flops. But the downside to such a tough and gritty sport is that every now and then brutal injuries occur.

NHL star Kevin Klein was the man to receive such a nasty blow on Monday night during the New York Rangers high flying clash against the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to reports. 

The Rangers defenseman suffered a high-stick hit to the side of his face late in the first period, with the incident looking innocuous at the time to say the least.

Sliced ear 

But further inspection revealed that Kevin Klein lost a part of his ear in the incident, which resulted in severe bleeding after the chunk of his ear hit the ice. Luckily for him, doctors were able to reattach the piece of ear thanks to 13 expertly placed stitches.

Not only that, Klein was even able to come back into the huge clash between his Rangers and the Penguins, with the star defenseman completing an unforgettable night by scoring a long-range winner in overtime as the Rangers edged the Penguins 4-3.

Still bleeding 

Klein even managed to pick up The Broadway Hat for the Rangers' star of the game. The defenseman wore a plastic guard for protection and returned in the second period, but post-game, Klein's ear was still in a terrible state as hockey insider Rick Carpiniello reported that blood was still seeping from the cut.

Fair play to Klein, and he definitely proved his worth as the Rangers' tough guy on Monday night.