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Ryan Reaves got himself into hot water on Saturday night.
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The Maple Leafs fourth-line winger was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head on Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse during the second period at Scotiabank Arena.
Reaves caught Nurse in open ice, deep in the Oilers zone to the left of goaltender Stuart Skinner, with a hit that sent Nurse sprawling to the ice and bleeding at 2:41.
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Nurse departed the game and did not return, and the Oilers announced he had an upper-body injury.
A match penalty calls for an automatic review by the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety.
“I didn’t look at (the hit),” Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “I’m not going to comment on it.
“We wish Darnell well. We don’t like to see that (a player getting hurt).”
That was the sentiment among Leafs players as well.
“That’s the side of the game you never want to see,” Bobby McMann said. “Guys are playing hard. I don’t think (Reaves) was trying to finish high like that, I know he wasn’t. He’s just playing it hard and trying to get through guys, trying to win a hockey game. It was nice to see (Nurse) get up and skate off. Hopefully he is doing all right.”
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The Oilers didn’t have an update on Nurse after the game, but he was seen in the hallway afterward with a cut over his right eye and a shiner.
Reaves previously has been suspended three times by the NHL. His most-recent suspension was during the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs when he was playing for the Vegas Golden Knights. Reaves was assessed a match for attempting to injure defenceman Ryan Graves of the Colorado Avalanche.
Reaves’ previous suspensions have totalled six games.
The Leafs managed to kill off the five-minute penalty, which was served by McMann.
Prior to Saturday, Reaves had one assist and eight penalty minutes in 15 games this season.
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