NEW YORK – It is no consolation to the Blue Jackets or their fans that the NHL has suspended Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy for one game for an illegal check to the head of Jackets forward Josh Anderson during Game 6 of the teams’ second round series at Nationwide Arena Monday, a 3-0 win by Boston that knocked Columbus out of the playoffs.
Boston’s Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for one game for an Illegal Check to the Head on Columbus’ Josh Anderson. https://t.co/17QswFLyfI
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 7, 2019
McAvoy was assessed a minor penalty for illegal check to the head at 19:37 of the second period when he hit Anderson in the jaw with his shoulder while checking Anderson from the left side as Anderson took possession of the puck along the boards at the blue line.
Anders fell to the ice and got up slowly, showing signs that he had suffered a serious injury though he did return to the game.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the one-game suspension, which will be served during the Eastern Conference series against Carolina, on Monday, saying that McAvoy had made Anderson’s head the “main point of contact” on the hit when it was avoidable.
The league explained that McAvoy applied “direct and forceful” contact to Anderson’s head when he elevated his shoulder just before impact rather than aim for a point lower on Anderson’s body.
Fans wanted a five-minute major penalty assessed but there is no provision in the league’s rulebook for a five-minute penalty for an illegal check to another player’s head.