Canucks' Soucy could face discipline for end-of-game cross-check to McDavid's face
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Vancouver Canucks defenceman Carson Soucy could be facing league discipline after cross-checking Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid in the face in the seconds after the final whistle of Game 3.
As the buzzer sounded on a 4-3 Canucks win Sunday, Soucy shoved McDavid behind the net. The Oilers captain responded with a slash on Soucy, Canucks blueliner Nikita Zadorov then cross-checked McDavid towards Soucy, whose cross-check made contact with McDavid's face as he fell forward.
TSN Director of scouting Craig Button said Sunday there "needs to be a suspension" on the play.
"It's not a hockey play. It's at the end of the game, and this is one where the department of player safety has to suspend Carson Soucy," Button said. "If they don't, it's a failure of justice at implementing what is necessary in the game to make sure these types of plays don't happen. Anything less than that is unacceptable."
Soucy received a minor penalty for the cross-check at the end of Game 3, though no time remained on the clock. The 29-year-old defenceman has four assists in nine games this postseason after recording two goals and six points in 40 games during the regular season.
McDavid, by his standards, has largely been held in check by the Canucks in the second round, owning a goal and two assists through three games. He had a goal and 14 points in five games in the first-round against the Los Angeles Kings.
Game 4 is set for Tuesday in Edmonton with the Canucks leading the second-round series 2-1.