Christian Ehrhoff was wearing a special ear guard this morning. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres’ Christian Ehrhoff OK after gruesome ear injury

BUFFALO – Forget about “Hoff,” Sabres defenseman Christian Ehrhoff has a new nickname.

“‘Earhoff,’ it’s the most common one, I think,” Ehrhoff, who needed 40 stitches to repair a cut on his right ear Sunday, said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

As Ehrhoff spoke, a teammate shouted the nickname.

“I guess when you have a situation like that, the jokers, they always come out pretty quick,” Ehrhoff said.

He can smile now. But he experienced a lot of pain immediately after Scott Hartnell’s shot hit him late the Sabres’ 5-2 loss in Philadelphia.

Ehrhoff knew right away the puck had cut him. He quickly skated off the ice and received help from the training staff. He never lost hearing.

“They wrapped something around my head to put pressure on it so it wouldn’t swell too much,” he said. “It was pretty painful.”

Ehrhoff took some painkillers later, sat out Monday’s practice and skated this morning wearing a special ear guard. He’ll play tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.

The ear still looks pretty gruesome, although it’s better than the pictures Ehrhoff tweeted out Sunday night.

The German said he was hit in his left ear once during his Vancouver days. The injury wasn’t as bad, however.

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