|
The league's Department of Player Safety
announced the ruling Thursday, one day after the Blues evened
the series at one game apiece. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday
night in St. Louis.
Sundqvist drew a two-minute penalty for boarding on the play,
which took place late in the first period. Grzelcyk swept the
puck out from behind the Bruins' net, but Sundqvist crunching
the Bruins defenseman against the boards after Grzelcyk released
the puck.
"Sundqvist adjusts his course, then hits (Grzelcyk) forcefully
from behind with speed, driving him violently into the glass and
causing an injury," the league said in a video announcing the
suspension. "This is boarding.
"The boarding rule places the onus to deliver a legal check on
the hitter. Therefore while we acknowledge Grzelcyk does adjust
his body position in making a play on the puck, he does not do
so in a way that absolves Sundqvist of responsibility for the
nature of this hit.
"From the moment Sundqvist hits the bottom of the faceoff circle
until contact is made Sundqvist sees nothing but Grzelcyk's
numbers. This is not a situation in which a sudden and
unexpected movement by the player receiving the check turns a
legal hit into an illegal one.
"Sundqvist has time to react to Grzelcyk's movement and reacts
by cutting back across Grzelcyk's body. This movement results in
a more forceful and direct hit to Grzelcyk's upper back and
head, which then drives Grzelcyk's head into the glass."
--Field Level Media
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
|
