The Big Ten Hockey Conference has suspended Wisconsin freshman forward Corbin McGuire one-game for kneeing Minnesota Gophers sophomore forward Connor Reilly.
The incident happened during the first period of Saturday’s game between the Gophers and the Badgers. McGuire was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing Reilly. The Gophers scored on the ensuing power play. (Video included below)
To rub salt in the wounds of Gopher fans, McGuire remained in the game and scored the game-winning goal in the shootout.
Reilly is the Gophers leading goal-scorer and has scored (11g-5a—16pts) in 24 games this season. Reilly may have played his last game of the season. According to Gophers head coach Don Lucia, Reilly is going to be out for a while.
Lucia said he expects his leading goal-scorer and redshirt sophomore forward to be out for a while, adding that “Those are career injuries. You stick out a knee and go knee-on-knee with guys. You talk about wanting to clean up our game and that’s just a bad, bad play.” (Ice Gold)
I think the Big Ten made the right call in this situation and feel free to disagree if you like. I think the league had no choice but to suspend McGuire. I think you could make an argument that a one-game suspension isn’t enough in this situation. These are the kind of hits that have no place in any level of hockey, the hit was unnecessary and dirty. I can’t think of a situation where you could defend that play.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvzaajN2gbQ]
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