Carson Soucy is looking at a suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety (NHL DoPS) for his cross-check to Connor McDavid at the end of Game 3 between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. The infraction took place after the final whistle in a 4-3 loss by Edmonton as the team was trying to get the equalizer and frustrations boiled over in the dying moments.
Soucy pushed McDavid, to which the Oilers’ captain turned around and slashed Soucy. In retaliation, Soucy cross-checked McDavid. The play was bad and it appeared to be an intent to injru in a non-hockey play, but what made it worse was that Nikita Zadolrov was also cross-checking McDavid from behind at the same time. The force of the two simultaneous cross-checks bent McDavid up like an accordion and as he fell, Soucy’s cross-check caught McDavid in the neck. It was fortunate that McDavid wasn’t seriously injured on the play.
The lack of an apparent injury and the unforeseen position of McDavid’s body might be the only thing that allows Soucy to escape without a lengthy suspension, and why the hearing is merely a phone hearing. Phone hearings cannot exceed five games, so the expectation is that Soucy might get one, maybe two.
Zadorov was handed a $5K fine by the NHL DoPS for his role in the play.
The Oilers Need to Respond to the Canucks Physicality
Edmonton is not only down in their series with the Canucks now, but there is a lot of talk about how little the Oilers have matched the physicality of their respective playoff series’ with both the Los Angeles Kings and Canucks. This latest play and a lack of response to protect McDavid from the other players on the team can’t sit well with the Oilers’ players.
The Canucks have been abusing the top stars on the Oilers, who have virtually no response. Players like Evander Kane, Corey Perry, Darnell Nurse, Sam Carrick, and others haven’t provided the team toughness Edmonton needs to set their own tone. As such, it’s only a matter of time before a star on the Oilers’ roster gets seriously injured.
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