On the Cam and Strick Podcast Soucy explained that he was trying to soften up McDavid for the next game, but he didn't mean to go for the face. As soon as it landed, he knew he was being suspended.
Given the way McDavid fell after taking contact from Zadorov in the back, it's understandable that Soucy wasn't trying to make the crosscheck as vicious as it was. Still, it was a tag-team attack on the league's best player for no other reason than trying to injure him for future games - and Soucy's inadvertent contact still deserved a suspension. He did admit that he was trying to injure McDavid.
Soucy actually continued to say he was surprised the suspension was only one game, and he was absolutely correct. For hard contact to the face, the precedent for suspensions is usually more than one game. It seems Soucy lucked out with lenient discipline from Player Safety in the playoffs.
Thankfully, McDavid didn't seem overly shaken up or injured by the contact, and the Oilers still finished off the series with a win.
The Canucks came a long way this season under Coach Rick Tocchet, and they'll likely be back in the playoffs next season along with a renewed rivalry with the Oilers. These two teams could clash for the foreseeable future in the playoffs, and it will always be a great battle to watch. At some point down the road, someone will truly get Soucy back for this awful crosscheck.
Source: Andy Strickland
Carson Soucy breaks down the cross check to Connor McDavid's face
POLL | ||
Do you think Soucy should have been suspended for more than one game? | ||
Yes, one game suspension was nothing | 176 | 71.5 % |
No, it was the right punishment | 41 | 16.7 % |
He shouldn't have got anything | 20 | 8.1 % |
See Results | 9 | 3.7 % |
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