Last night, the Edmonton Oilers were without star left wing Evander Kane, who was suspended after a hit during Saturday’s Game 3 of the Wearer Conference Finals.
Kane received a boarding penalty after his hit on Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri during Saturday’s game. Kane received a five-minute penalty however Kadri did not return to the game. It was later learned that Kadri suffered a broken right thumb during the hit and will be out for “at least” the remainder of the series against Edmonton. Kane explained his intent on the play, saying that he was trying to “get up” on Kadri when the penalty occurred. “Unfortunately he went into the boards awkwardly and hurt his hand,” he said.
The league’s department of player safety held a hearing with Kane the next day and assigned him the verdict on the same day. The NHL said that Kane’s history of misconduct was crucial in their quick decision. “It is important to note that this is not a scenario in which Kadri puts himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to the hit in a way that turns a legal check into an illegal one,” the NHL explained with its decision. “While we acknowledge that Kadri positions himself in front of Kane to shield the puck, this action is not a sudden or sharp movement that changes the nature of Kane’s hit in a way that he cannot control. And while we acknowledge Kane’s argument that Kadri loses his footing as he approaches the boards, we believe that this is a direct result of the shove and is not an unavoidable occurrence that causes an unfortunate accident. The shove is delivered at a dangerous distance from the boards while the two players are traveling at speed and cause an injury.” This is Kane’s fourth suspension in his career.
The left-wing was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in a midseason trade. In 43 games with the Oilers, Kane has scored 22 goals and registered 17 assists. Kane has been instrumental in the Oilers’ postseason run, scoring 13 goals and putting up 4 assists in 15 postseason games.
