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Tomas Nosek, a first-year pro from the Czech Republic, will play in his third game back tonight when the Griffins host Lake Erie. He suffered a hand injury on Oct. 20.

(Sam Iannamico | Grand Rapids Griffins)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Tomas Nosek missed nearly two months of the season, but the first-year forward with the Grand Rapids Griffins will accept the lost time over what nearly was a devastating alternative.

The promising 6-foot-2, 205-pound center/left wing prospect of the Detroit Red Wings returned to action Saturday after missing seven weeks following a freak household accident that could have derailed his career.

Nosek said he was trying to open a package with a kitchen knife on the evening of Oct. 20 when his hand slipped and the knife pierced between his thumb and forefinger. The tip of the blade exited on the center top of his left hand.

Tomas Nosek

“I have no scissors so I used a knife and I just cut myself,” he said. “It was bad luck but it was good luck, too,” because of the potential damage it could have caused.

“I was in a little bit of shock and there was blood everywhere,” he said.

The native of the Czech Republic, not familiar with 911, instead knocked on the neighboring apartment door of goalie Petr Mrazek, who just happened to be home. He called 911.

“I was home with (Griffins defenseman) Mattias Backman," Mrazek said, "It was kind of lucky, we were thinking go to a movie that day and we just stayed home and watched a movie and played X-Box and someone was kicking on my door like 10:30 in evening. I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s quiet around here, what’s happening?

"Tomas was there and blood all over his hand. So we just called 911 and try to help him.”

Nosek said he had exploratory surgery in which a slice of his top hand was opened to see if there was any damage to the tendons or intrinsic muscles along the three inches where the knife penetrated.

Nosek, a left-handed shot, said the hand is fine and the strength has returned.

“I can use it as before,” he said. “It is the same.”

Coach Jeff Blashill was satisfied with what he saw in the first two games back as Nosek picked up an assist Saturday at Rockford, and played the next afternoon at Milwaukee.

“I don’t think, from a game-shape and game-reaction standpoint, he is where he was yet from before he was hurt,” Blashill said. “But even with the hand, he seemed like he hasn’t lost any strength in his stick at all, and he won tons of puck battles (in the two weekend games).”

Blashill expected to keep the line of Nosek, Landon Ferraro and Kevin Porter intact for tonight’s home game against Lake Erie. He added Nosek will play special teams. Over the weekend, Nosek played on some penalty kill but not on the power play due to conditioning.

“He’ll get more, for sure,” Blashill said.

Nosek, signed by the Red Wings this summer to a two-way free-agent contract, played for HC Padubice in the Czech Republic last season. He finished ninth in the Czech Extraliga in scoring with 19 goals and 44 points in 52 games.

In four games with the Griffins before the injury, Nosek had two assists, two penalty minutes and a plus-minus rating of minus-one.

MLive Red Wings writer Ansar Khan contributed to this story.

Pete Wallner covers sports for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at pwallner@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.