Moments before the biggest game of his career, Ben Bishop folded to the ice, suffering from that excruciating, distinct, non-comparable pain.
Minutes later, he recorded the first save of the Eastern Conference Final's Game 5. Then he stopped the next 25 fired into his mass - mercifully avoiding that previous target.
But despite his marvelous bounce-back effort, recording his second shutout of these playoffs and bringing the Tampa Bay Lightning to within a game of the Stanley Cup Final, Bishop was well-aware and well-prepared for what was coming next.
Were you, by chance, hit in a delicate region, Ben?
"You hit the nail on the head there," Bishop answered to Hockey Night in Canada's Scott Oake.
A 26-save shutout and expert pun planned and delivered to perfection.
First star, Ben.