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Another goalie collision: Lucic ejected for hitting Smith

Another goalie collision: Lucic ejected for hitting Smith

[UPDATE: Lucic will not face any supplemental discipline.]

The Nazem Kadri - Jordan Binnington collision (and injury) wasn’t the only controversial goalie-crashing moment of the weekend. With the Oilers ahead in an eventual 4-1 win over the Flames in Game 3, Milan Lucic collided with Mike Smith behind Edmonton’s net.

In action, it looked especially bad. Upon reflection, we’ll see how the Department of Player Safety treats Lucic’s hit on Smith.

Smith left the ice at least as part of the league’s concussion protocol. With the score 4-0 for Edmonton at the time of the collision, there wasn’t a big rush to get him back. Yet, the crowd roared when Mike Smith returned.

You never know with injuries, especially if there’s a risk of concussion. Once the adrenaline subsides, Smith may realize that he’ll need to miss time. This quick return increases the odds that he avoided injury, though.

Milan Lucic ejected for hitting Mike Smith in Flames - Oilers Game 3

In Game 3 itself, Milan Lucic received a game misconduct and charging major for his hit on Mike Smith.

Judge for yourself:

When it comes to goalie collisions, people often have long memories. That goes for suspensions, too, as people noted about Nazem Kadri in regards to Binnington.

More than a decade ago, Milan Lucic collided with Ryan Miller. To put things mildly, there were some hard feelings surrounding that moment.

Will the NHL suspend Milan Lucic for that hit on Mike Smith? Will the NHL conclude that the Game 3 punishment (charging major, game misconduct) was enough? Should the NHL suspend Lucic?

While Lucic’s big game translates better to the playoffs than the regular season, he’s not exactly been a dominant force in the playoffs. So far, he’s managed zero goals and an assist through 10 playoff games.

All things considered, it’s a relief that Mike Smith seemingly avoided an injury.