Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Wilson to have hearing for illegal check to head on Aston-Reese

_gc6MGIEYpOq
Capitals' Tom Wilson's huge hit on Zach Aston-Reese gave the Penguins' defender a broken jaw and concussion. Is a suspension on the way?

Another day, another appointment with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for Capitals forward Tom Wilson.

This time, Wilson will have a hearing for an illegal check to the head he dished out on Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese in Game 3 on Tuesday night. You can check out the play by clicking the video at the top of the page.

After the game, Pens head coach Mike Sullivan announced that Aston-Reese suffered a concussion and a broken jaw that will require surgery.

“We lose a guy to a broken jaw that’s going to require surgery and a concussion because of another high hit to the head,” Sullivan said. “At some point we would hope that the league might do something.”
[NBC’s Stanley Cup Playoff Hub]

Wilson made waves in Game 2, after he caught defenseman Brian Dumoulin in the head, but the NHL decided that the hit on the Pens blue liner wasn’t worthy of a suspension.

The 24-year-old always seems to walk a fine line when he hits the ice, but it’s not uncommon for him to go overboard. Wilson was last suspended for an illegal check on Blues forward Sammy Blais during the preseason. The incident cost the Capitals forward the first four games of the regular season. Earlier in the preseason, Wilson also sat for two games for interfering with Blues forward Robert Thomas.

As you’d expect, he’ll be considered a repeat offender.

--

Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.