Toronto Star photographer Steve Russell is used to shooting the story, not being shot at.

Midway through the third period of Monday night's Leaf game, Russell took a shot off his right cheekbone from Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. Watch the video.



Miller, clearing the puck, shot toward the glass. In a kind of million-to-one shot, the puck somehow went through a little cutout area in the glass where photographers aim their cameras.

"He wasn't shooting it hard, he was just throwing it into the corner," said Russell, whose camera was slightly lowered at the time while he followed the play. "If it was a hard shot, I would have got a lot more messed up. It went right straight through the hole and hit me square in the cheekbone."

Paramedics established the cheekbone wasn't broken and gave him ice. Miller came over at the whistle to make sure Russell was okay and gave him his goalie stick at the end of the game.

Upper body injury aside, Russell finished shooting the game.

Kevin McGran