Carson Soucy to have disciplinary hearing, Nikita Zadorov fined for ...

13 May 2024

The Province

It looks like the NHL may suspend Carson Soucy for his cross-check of Connor McDavid at the end of the Canucks' Game 3 win on Sunday

Connor McDavid - Figure 1 — Photo The Province

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Published May 13, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 2 minute read

Connor McDavid skates with the puck against Carson Soucy during the first period in Game 1 of their series on May 8, 2024. Photo by Derek Cain /Getty Images

Vancouver Canucks defenceman Carson Soucy may face discipline from the NHL for an end-of-game cross-check to the face of Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid.

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In the midst of a volatile finish to Game 3 Sunday in Edmonton, Soucy found himself tangled up with McDavid as the horn sounded to end the game, a 4-3 victory for Soucy’s Canucks.

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Soucy gave McDavid a shove and the Oilers forward turned around and gave Soucy a wicked two-handed slash to the leg. It looked like Soucy was going to give McDavid a cross-check to the chest … except Nikita Zadorov showed up and hit McDavid in the back, knocking him forward so Soucy’s stick caught McDavid on the chin instead.

It was an ugly scene. McDavid bounced up and the fracas carried on for a few more moments. As McDavid left the ice, he brushed aside a referee and clearly barked about something, presumably the stick to the face.

Soucy is facing a disciplinary hearing this afternoon, according to an X post by the NHL Player Safety department.

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Connor McDavid - Figure 3 — Photo The Province

The hearing will be by phone, meaning if a suspension is levied, it could be as short as one game. In-person hearings are for actions that might lead to suspensions of six games or more.

In determining a suspension, the NHL looks at five factors:

• The league makes it clear that players are responsible for the consequences of their actions, so what was the nature of the conduct in question? Was the act under review in violation of the rules? Was it intentional or reckless? Was there excessive or unnecessary force?

• Did the fouled player suffer an injury?

• Has the player who committed the foul been suspended before? If a player has been suspended in the previous 18 months, they are considered a repeat offender and are likely to face a heavier suspension than if it was the first time (or they haven’t been suspended in the last 18 months, anyway).

• What was happening in the game when the incident occurred? Is it late in the game? Is the score lopsided? Did something happen in the game before the incident occurred, either immediately or earlier in the game?

• Any other factors that might be necessary to assess the incident.

Meanwhile, the NHL announced that Zadorov had been fined $5,000 for his role in the incident.

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Vancouver’s Nikita Zadorov has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Edmonton’s Connor McDavid.

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 13, 2024

More to come …

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