A late-game play has cost Vancouver’s Tyler Myers.
The Canucks defenceman was suspended three games by NHL Player Safety on Monday for cross-checking Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard at the conclusion of Vancouver’s 3-2 win on Saturday.
Myers will miss a rematch against the Oilers on Thursday, as well as contests Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres and Saturday against the Washington Capitals.
The 34-year-old was assessed a match penalty after hitting Bouchard in the face with his stick. Per NHL rule No. 21, a match penalty carries an automatic hearing with the league.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid was also handed a three-game suspension for cross-checking Canucks forward Conor Garland in the dying seconds of the heated Pacific Division battle.
Frustrations boiled as a melee ensued after Garland poked the puck off McDavid’s stick and both players fell to the ice. The pair wrestled for a moment, then got up before Garland once again took down the marquee centre and tried to prevent him from getting back to his feet.
Away from the play, Myers was approached by Bouchard and the Canucks defenceman took exception as he caught him up high with a cross-check.
Myers said earlier Monday he did not intend to hit Bouchard in the face.
“I know how it looks. I never intended to hit him in the face. I’ve never cross-checked anyone in the face in my whole career,” Myers said.
“Things were getting heated there at the end. I’m not ignorant to the fact of how it looks in real time, but if you slow it down I did start lower and as he started to bring his hands up it kinda redirected my stick a little higher.”
