Player Safety makes decision on McCarron running over Canucks goalie

Last night, Predators forward Michael McCarron was forechecking hard in the Canucks zone, and didn't even try to avoid contact with goalie Casey DeSmith. McCarron ran DeSmith over which led to an instant response from the Canucks. It was an egregious contact against a goaltender, and if he made any head contact, McCarron likely would've received a lengthy suspension. With the Canucks already missing their elite starting goalie, any attack on their backup felt like a slap in the face.

Immediately after the contact, defenceman Filip Hronek was first to grab McCarron and start a scrum. After that, the rest of the Canucks joined in, and the game became a heated physical affair throughout. Nikita Zadorov was an absolute physical menace in the game, laying multiple huge hits and antagonizing the Predators' bench.

With the teams and fans fuelling a new playoff rivalry, game four of this series will likely be the most intense game yet. The Canucks will try to steal another game on the road in Nashville tomorrow night, and head back to Vancouver with a commanding 3-1 series lead.