Calgary Flames defenceman Nikita Zadorov will have a hearing on Saturday for an "illegal check to the head" on Dallas Stars forward Luke Glendening in Game 6 on Friday night, the NHL's department of player safety announced.
The incident occurred early in the second period when a Zadorov hit Glendening as he was attempting to get the puck out of the neutral zone, appearing to catch him partially in the head.
Glendening had to be helped off the ice and Zadorov did not receive a penalty on the play.
“The referees, sometimes, are put in a tough position,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said after the game. “It’s easier for us to look at the video, slow it down and say ‘That’s a head shot.’ It’s a head shot. The referee, sometimes, don’t get the best angles. You live with their call.”
Despite leaving the game and being ruled questionable to return by the Stars, Glendenning did return — but only totalled 4:20 ice-time in the entire game.
