Colorado Avalanche centre Nazem Kadri was given a match penalty and a game misconduct for a hit to the head of Blues defenceman Justin Faulk.
The incident occurred midway through the third period. As Faulk went to take a shot on goal in the slot, Kadri hit Faulk, with his shoulder striking the defenceman's head.
Faulk was slow to get up but was eventually able to skate off on his own power and go to the Blues' locker room. He didn't return to the game.
Blues head coach Craig Berube didn't have an update on Faulk's status after the game. Forwards Luke Schenn and Ryan O'Reilly, however, did have some strong words about the hit and Kadri's history of dangerous plays.
"The guy can't control himself. In the playoffs he's a repeat offender, bad hits,” Schenn said. “He's got a guy in a vulnerable position and picks nothing but the head... We need to focus on Games 3-4 and the league will take care of those guys' hits."
"That's a very dangerous hit," O'Reilly added. "It's got to be a suspension."
Kadri has been suspended in the playoffs before. In 2019, when he was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kadri was suspended for the "remainder of the series" for a cross-check on Boston's Jake DeBrusk. The Maple Leafs lost that series in seven games and traded Kadri to the Avalanche in the ensuing off-season.
In total, Kadri has been suspended five times since 2013.
