In the third period of Game 2 against the Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros took a hard hit from forward Dakota Joshua. It left Saros wincing in pain.

The hit was violent enough to knock the Nashville net off its moorings, and for a brief moment it looked like Saros might be injured.

But after the game, Saros reassured everyone he wasn't injured − then he gave credit to an important piece of goalie equipment for providing extra protection.

"Good thing I am wearing a double cup," Saros said. "That was helpful, there."

Indicating he was struck in a sensitive area, Saros' reference to a "double cup" sent Predators fans on social media into fits. All hockey players wear groin protection, colloquially referred to as "cups" − but a "double cup"? What is that exactly?

"I wear a normal goalie cup, which is obviously protective and bigger, but then underneath I wear a normal player's cup as well," Saros explained.

The best-of-7 series resumes with Game 3 on Friday (6:30 p.m., TBS, Bally Sports South) at Bridgestone Arena. The series is tied 1-1.

Goalie protection, as you'd expect, is much larger and covers more sensitive areas. A player cup is the normal cup protection that all skaters wear on the ice.

Saros wears both, one on top of the other, for extra protection.

"It actually started when Mike Fisher played here. He had a hard shot and got me a couple times pretty good," Saros said.

After that Saros decided to add some protection after recommendations from fellow goalies and equipment staff.

PARSSINEN ADDED: Nashville Predators add Juuso Parssinen ahead of Game 3 against Vancouver Canucks

The "double cup" came in handy in Game 2 at Vancouver. Trailing 3-1 in the third period, the Canucks were throwing everything they could at the net. Trying to jump on a pass from Connor Garland, Joshua crashed the net, launching his body full force into Saros.

"Yeah, he hit me in the (testicles)," Saros said. "So it was good I had the double cup."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Predators' Juuse Saros is thankful for his 'double cup' vs Canucks