Vancouver Canucks defenceman Carson Soucy has been suspended one game for a cross-check on Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid.
A skirmish began after the final buzzer sounded in VancouverB次元官网网址檚 4-3 victory in Game 3 Sunday after Soucy shoved McDavid behind the CanucksB次元官网网址 net and McDavid responded by hitting SoucyB次元官网网址檚 leg with his stick.
Canucks blue liner Nikita Zadorov then cross-checked McDavid from behind, and Soucy cross-checked the Oilers captain in the face as he was falling.
Soucy was handed a minor penalty for the play and the NHLB次元官网网址檚 Department of Player Safety handed down a one-game suspension Monday, saying in a video that the defencemanB次元官网网址檚 actions were B次元官网网址渘ot a hockey playB次元官网网址 and deserved additional discipline.
Zadorov was fined US$5,000 by the NHL, the maximum amount under the collective bargaining agreement.
Vancouver leads the best-of-seven second-round series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Tuesday night in Edmonton.
Soucy told reporters Monday that he wasnB次元官网网址檛 trying to injure McDavid on the play.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just an unfortunate incident due to some timing. B次元官网网址 Obviously there wasnB次元官网网址檛 intent to get a player up that high,B次元官网网址 he said before the suspension was announced.
B次元官网网址淓motions run high in those scrums at the end of the game.B次元官网网址
Missing game time would be difficult, the 29-year-old defenceman said.
B次元官网网址淚t would suck, obviously, at this time, in a tight series like this, in a physical series,B次元官网网址 Soucy said. B次元官网网址淚 know guys will step up if that is the case. But it sucks having to watch your team.B次元官网网址
McDavid said Monday he was B次元官网网址渇eeling greatB次元官网网址 and didnB次元官网网址檛 want to talk too much about the incident, other than calling it B次元官网网址減art of a heated series.B次元官网网址
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a tough game. TheyB次元官网网址檝e got big d-men. They make it hard on you. They play physical, they play a physical brand of hockey and itB次元官网网址檚 fun to be a part of,B次元官网网址 said the Oilers captain.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a fun series to be a part of. Obviously, two Canadian teams going at it, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of passion.B次元官网网址
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