Connor McDavid landed on the wrong end of a vicious cross-check to the face Sunday night.
And it could potentially alter the second-round playoff series between the Oilers and Canucks.
Carson Soucy brutally — and some have labeled the hit as dirty — cross-checked the Oilers’ superstar in the face, moments after teammate Nikita Zadorov cross-checked McDavid in the back following Vancouver’s 4-3 win over Edmonton to grab a 2-1 series lead.
Such a hit leaves Soucy open to a possible suspension ahead of Tuesday’s Game 4.
“It’s really clear. This is a suspension, absolutely,” TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button said. “There needs to be a suspension. Anything less than a suspension of Carson Soucy is wrong. The cross-check by Zadorov and then right to the head. I mean, Soucy is going right to the head there. It doesn’t matter he got cross-checked by Zadorov. End of the game, not a hockey play.
“If the Department of Player Safety does not suspend Carson Soucy, they have failed in doing their job in applying supplemental discipline. No other decision is acceptable.”
The final whistle had sounded on Vancouver’s 4-3 road win when things got quite chippy.
As the two stood behind the goal, Soucy pushed away McDavid, who responded by slashing Soucy’s right leg with his stick. Soucy responded by hitting McDavid back.
And then it got scary.
With McDavid focused on Soucy, Zadorov cross-checked McDavid square in his back.
That hit caused McDavid’s knees to buckle, which coincided with Soucy cross-checking McDavid at the same time and delivering an absolutely brutal blow to the face.
The tag-team maneuver dropped McDavid to the ice.
Soucy received a minor penalty after the whistle, but with the game already decided that did not matter.
Analyst Paul Bissonnette called out Edmonton for not defending its star player.
“Mcdavid got cross checked in the face and nobody really did s–t. I understand he gave Soucy the chop first but that wasn’t a proper response. Soft team. Bottom 6 is pathetic right now. Getting outplayed. 3rd D pair getting chewed up,” Bissonette posted on X early Monday morning. “Canucks playing a tremendous team game and JT Miller is a dog. He’s cementing himself as a Canucks great right now. He’s a warrior. This is 100% going 7 games. Oilers are in one. #Canucks.”
It’s now possible the defenseman will miss Tuesday’s game in Edmonton, which could help the Oilers even the series.
The 29-year-old has four assists and a plus-three rating this postseason.