(UPDATE: No hearing coming for Brassard.)
We have another questionable hit in the National Hockey League.
This one came at the hands... err... elbow of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Derick Brassard, who drilled New Jersey Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen from behind during the third period of their game on Monday.
Here’s the tape:
Brassard was given five minutes for elbowing and was bounced from the game, too.
The Devils scored twice on the ensuing power play but also gave up a shorty.
As far as the hit, there are arguments both ways here.
Brassard didn’t appear to hit Vatanen in the head (or at least it wasn’t the principal point of contact), rather the hit to the back of Vatanen ended up propelling his face into the glass, causing his blood to flow.
On the other hand, Vatanen’s numbers were showing and, well, hitting a guy like that with his numbers showing isn’t the best course of action. And the elbow was high, and it never looks good when the victim of one of these hits crumbles to the ice and is visibly injured.
Whether or not it gets a second look from the league won’t be known until Tuesday.
The Devils ended up winning the game 6-3.
Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck