Maple Leafs’ Ryan Reaves Ejected for Head Hit on Oilers’ Darnell Nurse
Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves was sent off during Saturday’s game and may face suspension for hitting Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse in the head.
Reaves was assessed a match penalty after he made contact with Nurse’s head using his shoulder in the second period. As a result, Nurse was bloodied and required several minutes of attention from a trainer before exiting the game.
The Oilers later informed fans that Nurse would not be returning due to an upper-body injury.
After reviewing the play, officials upheld the penalty against Reaves. A match penalty automatically leads to scrutiny from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
Throughout his career, Reaves has faced three suspensions totaling six games, one of which was for an illegal head hit during the 2020 playoffs.
