You really gotta have a face mask...  Being a '91 RPI
graduate I watched Joe Juneau for four years of college
hockey and not once did he need stitches in his face...
Being from Boston I have now watched Joe Juneau need
stitches in his bottom lip twice so far and he got
an nasty cut on his chin...  It is a little over halfway
into the NHL season...
 
In college he wore a full mask and now he is wearing a
half shield... 4 years of ~30 games with no facial injuries
vs. 40 games with 3...  Need I say more?