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Flyers’ Radko Gudas ejected for boarding Jimmy Vesey

Toronto Maple Leafs v Philadelphia Flyers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 19: Radko Gudas #3 of the Philadelphia Flyers in action against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at Wells Fargo Center on January 19, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Toronto Maple Leafs won, 3-2. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas walks a fine line when he is on the ice.

He is going to play physical, he is going to hit people, and sometimes he is going to go over the line. Sometimes it results in an ejection, as it did on Monday night in the Flyers’ preseason game against the New York Rangers.

Late in the first period Gudas was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Rangers rookie forward Jimmy Vesey.

Immediately after the hit Rangers defenseman Dylan Mcilrath came in and pulled Gudas out of the pile and immediately started fighting him. The entire sequence resulted in a total of 37 penalty minutes between the two players. Gudas was given major penalties for boarding and fighting, as well as the misconduct penalty, while Mcilrath earned a major for fighting, a 10-minute misconduct, and a two-minute instigator penalty.

Here is a look at the hit from Gudas that started everything, via CSN Philly.

Vesey was able to return to the game for the start of the second period.

As mentioned above, this is not the first time Gudas has been the subject of a questionable hit, and more often than not he has managed to avoid additional discipline from the NHL including on more than one occasion last season. He was suspended once last season, but was not suspended for two hits in February that both resulted in him being ejected from games, including one that was a match penalty.

The big question for the NHL this time around will be whether or not Gudas had a time to adjust his trajectory for the hit after Vesey made his turn toward the boards. If they determine that he did have time, he might sit.

The Flyers are already going to be opening the season without forward Brayden Schenn as he serves a three-game suspension for a hit in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.