Watch The Stanley Cup Fall Down Go Boom, Get Dented

Just another battle scar for the old girl, who's seen plenty of dings and feces in her lifetime. The Cup was in St. John's, Newfoundland, preparing for its helicopter trip to Michael Ryder's hometown of Bonavista. After Ryder set it down on a table (with official NHL tablecloth), the whole damn thing toppled over, denting the bowl—"the first dent of the day," some background wag offers.

It's obviously not the first time the giant awkward shiny thing has fallen. The Hockey Hall of Fame always has someone on hand when the Cup is out traveling, ready to perform some emergency surgery if needed. In 2008 Chris Chelios botched a handoff, and the Cup took a tumble.

Mike Bolt, the Keeper of the Cup, was taken to Joe Louis Arena, where Stan, like a forward who took a puck in the eye, was placed gently on the trainer's table in the Red Wings dressing room, and operated on. Bolt had to use a hammer to carefully pop the dent out, a procedure that resembled neurosurgery in its intricacy. One of the bands that contain all the names popped off at one point. But like Bobby Baun, the Cup was right back out there for the rest of its appearances. Heroic.

We presume the Cup will be back in fighting shape by the afternoon, or at least before Sidney Crosby. This doesn't look that bad:

[ The Telegram, via Puck Daddy]