Canadiens forward Brandon Prust set the tone early during Game 3 in New York on Thursday night, thanks in large part to an vicious hit he laid on Derek Stepan of the Rangers. A few minutes into the first period, Prust delivered a late hit that shook up Stepan and sent the Rangers forward to the locker room for a good chunk of the first period.
Stepan eventually returned to the game and continued to play throughout the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime loss, but the team discovered on Friday morning (or so they say) that Stepan fractured his jaw and would require surgery as a result of Prust’s hit. The timetable for his return has yet to be determined.
Though the hit went unpenalized, Prust – who spent three seasons as a member of the Rangers – will have a phone hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player safety on Friday afternoon, when he could (and, in my opinion, should) be hit with a multi-game suspension.
