John Kerry with black eyes, broken nose at State of the Union

John Kerry's 2004 fight for the White House was brutal, but it was nothing like the beatdown he got on New Year's.

Sporting two shiners and a broken nose, the Massachusetts Democrat showed off a mangled mug this week, first at a White House ceremony Tuesday honoring the Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup title, then at President Obama's State of the Union, where his face made for some interesting photo opps.

"He's just fine, just very ironically he busted his nose recently playing ice hockey, so the Bruins could certainly relate," a spokesman said, adding that it was the result of a pile-up during a pick-up game with friends and family.

The cosmetic mishap happened around New Year's, forcing the former presidential candidate to don a pair of shades during his visit to the Middle East, where he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Senator is no stranger to sports related injuries. His '09 hip surgery and '05 knee surgery are both products of shredding ice, and, prior to joining Congress, he underwent jaw surgery after ... well, running into a goal post.

Even at 68, Kerry is a regular at the Congressional Hockey Challenge - a charity match supporting Washington's Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club - where he plays forward and right wing, according to the organization's website.

When asked about Kerry's competitors in the rink, Smith laughed and said, "Just what you saw."

What odd timing -  does his beat-up face remind you of anything you've seen recently?