The NHL has handed out matching three-game suspensions to Connor McDavid and Tyler Myers for cross-checks they laid late in Saturday’s game between the Oilers and Canucks.
The incident leading to the supplemental discipline happened in the final minutes of Saturday’s game between the Oilers and Canucks. With 20 seconds left in the game and the Oilers down 3-2 with an extra man on the ice, McDavid was knocked off the puck by Canucks winger Conor Garland, who proceeded to hold McDavid, pinning him to the ice. He did so again when McDavid got to his feet, and after McDavid separated from him, that’s when he laid his cross-cbeck on Garland.
As that occurred, Myers finished a hit on Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard, before turning and slashed at his hands. Bouchard skated towards Myers and as he approached, he started to raise his hands. But before he was able to get them up to protect himself, Myers laid a cross-check to his face.
In their ruling breaking down McDavid’s suspension, the league highlighted how his cross-check on Garland was not in the form of trying to box out an opposing player.
“Having just been engaged physically with Garland, McDavid retaliates aggressively and intentionally, escalating the altercation by raising his stick significantly, and creating this contact: a high cross-check that makes direct contact with an opponents head with sufficient force to merit supplemental discipline,” the league said, noting a previous suspension and fine in McDavid’s career.
In Myers’ case, the league noted how this cross-check wasn’t one where it was to be delivered to the body, but rides up to the head.
“Myers raises his stick with two hands, draws it back and delivers a blow that hits Bouchard directly in the face,” the league said. “This cross-check is delivered cleanly to the head of Bouchard and while we have heard Myers’ assertion that he does not intent to strike Bouchard in this manor, players are responsible for their stick at all times.
“This is an intentional cross-check by Myers, who raises his stick significantly to initiate this contact.”
For McDavid, he will miss games against the Washington Capitals Tuesday, the Canucks Thursday and the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night, while Myers misses games Tuesday against the Sabres, Thursday against the Oilers and Saturday against the Capitals.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t hold back after the game.
“There’s a rivalry and Connor gets frustrated, Connor gets his stick up, and he’s frustrated because we’re down one goal, and the best player in the league is getting held for 15 seconds,” said Knoblauch. “There’s frustration that’s allowed to happen, and his stick got up.”
In the opposite locked room, Garland was open about trying to tie up McDavid, admitting to his attempt to slow down the world’s best player.
“Ah, you know, I’m just holding him,” he said. “I mean, he’s the best player to ever do it. So, you know, the time’s running out and I just thought that was maybe the best way for us to win a game was to do that.
“You know, I don’t want to hurt him. [I] want to hold him and hurt him in that way. So, just try to get up and hold him down. But he’s a passionate guy. He’s a good dude. I mean, I don’t think he was… just his passion. It’s a tight game late in the game. Everybody has the fire in their belly trying to win a hockey game. So that’s the stuff that happens.”
The Oilers and Canucks meet again on Thursday night for their third and final time during the regular season with the season series split at one win each.

Watch Oilersnation’s live reaction to the suspension

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

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