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Kadri says he ‘tried to go low’ on Sedin, happy NHL saw it the same way

Canucks Maple Leafs Hockey

Official Kelly Sutherland (11) checks on Vancouver Canucks left wing Daniel Sedin, who was hit by Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri, after scoring during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

AP

Nazem Kadri is relieved the NHL’s Department of Player Safety saw his hit on Daniel Sedin the same way he did.

“For me, I thought I hit him in the body and that was the main point of contact,” Kadri said today, per the Toronto Sun. “I’m happy the league felt the same way. I don’t know if there’s anything you can do differently. It happens pretty fast. It’s a very reacting type of play. I just tried to go low with it.”

The video clearly shows that Kadri caught Sedin’s head with his shoulder, knocking Sedin’s helmet off in the process. However, the league ultimately ruled that Sedin’s head was not the “main point of contact,” i.e. that Kadri hit through Sedin’s body before incidental contact was made with the head.

The Maple Leafs beat the Canucks, 6-3, on Saturday, dealing Vancouver its eighth straight loss. Kadri scored one of Toronto’s goals. He was also given a five-minute major and game misconduct for charging Sedin, plus five minutes for fighting Jannik Hansen.