Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas will likely receive the first suspension of this NHL season after this hit he threw on Scottie Upshall on Thursday night. Gudas blatantly targeted Upshall’s head with a vicious elbow, leaving the Panthers forward seriously shaken up as a result. Gudas wasn’t given a penalty for the high hit, but it’s very likely he’ll receive a multi-game ban from the Department Of Player Safety.
These two guys also have a bit of history. Upshall squirted Gudas with Gatorade or water during a game in 2013, and Gudas responded by turning around and slashing the bench with his stick. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Thursday’s incident was premeditated, but the connection is certainly interesting.
Update: The DOPS announced on Friday that they’ve given Gudas a warning but no supplemental discipline.
(1) Gudas hit on Upshall merited warning but not SD for the following reasons:…
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 10, 2014
(2) Per Rule 48: "When determining whether contact with an opponent's head was avoidable, the circumstances of the hit shall be considered.”
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 10, 2014
(3) Here, Upshall assumed a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full-body check unavoidable. pic.twitter.com/IGmlYp5WzD
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 10, 2014
(4) Also, contact was in immediate aftermath of Gudas playing puck.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 10, 2014
