Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov will likely be facing a hearing from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety after high-sticking Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kyle Burroughs on Monday night.
The incident occurred with just a few minutes left to go in the second period when Kuznetsov drove to the net in an attempt to score before he was knocked away by Burroughs. The Canucks defender then gave Kuznetsov a couple of shoves as he was getting back up, and he proceeded to whack Burroughs in the face with his stick. Kuznetsov received a two-minute penalty for the infraction, which J.T. Miller scored on to give Vancouver a 4-2 lead, one that they would eventually blow after the Caps scored four goals in the third period to win 6-4.
This comes just six months after Kuznetsov high-sticked Noel Acciari in a post-whistle scrum during the Caps first round series against the Florida Panthers. Kuznetsov wasn’t suspended for the play, but he did receive a $5,000 fine. That fine likely won’t affect the decision making for the infraction on Burroughs, but it certainly doesn’t help Kuznetsov’s case.
Despite the penalty and likely fine or suspension that will come with it, Kuznetsov had a strong game against Vancouver. He helped lead the charge for the Caps four goal third period, assisting on three of them. It certainly improved his numbers on the season so far, as he had just one assist in three games to start the season, including no points in his first two. He now has four points in four games, although he is still waiting on his first goal of the season.
If Kuznetsov does get suspended, it will be a huge blow for the Caps. Their center depth is already hurting with Nicklas Backstrom out long-term and no clear timeline for a return. If Kuznetsov is out, that will likely leave Dylan Strome and Lars Eller as their one-two punch down the middle in his absense, which is solid, but far from great. The Caps next few games come against the Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, and New Jersey Devils.
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