With the match penalty that was given to Vegas Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves in last night’s game for kneeling on the head of Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ryan Graves comes an automatic review from the Department of Player Safety. The incident has risen to the level of supplementary discipline and Reaves will have a hearing with the league today. Of note, it does not appear to be an in-person hearing, meaning Reaves will not face a suspension greater than five games.
The incident occurred in a game that was already basically over, with Colorado holding a 6-1 lead in game one of the second-round matchup. Reaves first contacted Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer, which drew a scrum, with Graves falling to the ice. Reaves appeared to force his knee down onto Graves’ head and was given a match penalty for intent to injure and two roughing penalties. The result of the incident, which included several other penalized players, was a nine-minute powerplay for the Avalanche in the third period.
Notably, Graves did not suffer a serious injury on the play. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog believes that wasn’t for a lack of trying, telling the media including Peter Baugh of The Athletic that Reaves is “on a mission to go out there and hurt someone in the third. That’s what he does.” Colorado head coach Jared Bednar wasn’t quite as convinced, telling Baugh “I don’t think he’s out there trying to injure people on purpose” but suggested that the incident was “out of the context of the game” at that point.
Reaves was suspended in September of last year for a check to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte. He was also suspended three games in 2016 for boarding Matt Tennyson, then of the San Jose Sharks.
Ok. Let’s get this clear.
YES. The hit on Janmark from Graves in the first was late and unnecessary.
But somehow Reaves is going to get less than Kadri? F’in joke.
Now, let the Wilson apologists becoming Reaves apologists commence.
Kadri knocked out a defenceless player. Reaves is also a piece of crap, but he doesn’t deserve more than Kadri.
Honestly, this dude does not belong in the league. He has no discernible skill aside from bullying and attempting to injure players that are better than him. He’s essentially Zac Rinaldo or Raffi Torres with even less skill. If not for being paired with the perfect head coach, that classless loser clown DeBoer, then he would be out of the league. DeBoer should also face some sort of discipline, as the reckless and unnecessary violence that whole line perpetrated for about half the game was at worst ordered by him and at best encouraged, which is nothing new from this coach and this team. And it’s not likely to change unless the league does something.
Ohh my…
Well, that certainly is an opinion.
Raffi had 27 goals one year! And he was the 5th overall pick. But he was quite dirty…
He should hire Eric Nelson to represent him.
I would recommend Jeff Winger, I once saw him convince an arson victim that he liked his house better burnt.
How about the cross check to Grubauer’s head? Worthy of discipline.
He got two games maybe DeBoer should leave him out of games 4 to 7 as he could cause the Knights to lose oh yah they will any ways Looks good on the whole donkey management…of Vegas…