The Round 2 series between the Canucks and Oilers is getting nasty, and an incident late in Game 3 might have two Canucks defensemen facing discipline from the league.
After a brutal cross-check to the face of Connor McDavid at the end of Game 3, Carson Soucy was scheduled to have a phone hearing with the Department of Player Safety. While it was an ugly hit for McDavid to take, he said he feels fine and didn't have many complaints about the incident about the incident.
It's a tough game, they have big D-men who make it hard on you. They play physical, they play a physical brand of hockey and it's fun to be a part of. Obviously, two Canadian teams going at it, a lot of passion. It's part of it,
At the time of his comments, McDavid didn't want to address this particular event since the decision had not yet been rendered:
We're still waiting on decisions and things like that, so I'm not going to comment on it too much other than it's part of a heated series.
While Carson Soucy ended up getting a game, Nikita Zadorov received a maximum $5000 fine for his role in the incident. Connor McDavid didn't receive anything despite being this whole incident's instigator, Zach Hyman's two-handed cross-check also goes by unpunished despite the fact that it was directed at Zadorov's head with intent:
The officiating has been questionable since the playoffs started, it appears that the NHL's Player Safety Department might also have a role in it. With Carson Soucy out for game four, Noah Juulsen will most likely be stepping into his role.
