The rivalry between the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers boiled over on Saturday night, as tempers flared between the two clubs in what was a 3-2 victory for the Canucks at Rogers Arena.
The NHL Department of Player Safety ruled today that Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers would be serving a three-game suspension for his cross-check to the face of Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the corner.
Following the game, Myers offered the following excuse, saying that Bouchard's hands re-directed his stick higher, via Oilers Nation.
“Things were getting heated there at the end,” Myers said. “I’m not ignorant to the fact of how it looks in real-time. But if you slow it down, I did start lower, and as [Bouchard] started to bring his hands up, it redirected my stick a little bit higher.”
“I know how it looks. I never intended to hit him in the face. I’ve never cross-checked anyone in the face in my whole career. I was talking to [Bouchard] at the red-line afterward and he seemed to be okay.
“I don’t want to hit a guy in the face. It was unfortunate that it ended up that way. Glad he’s okay.”
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Myers will be missing Vancouver's upcoming games against the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals along with their re-match against the Oilers. He can return to the lineup for Vancouver on Monday, January 27 against the St. Louis Blues.
Tyler Myers isn't the only player from the Canucks and Oilers getting suspended
Tyler Myers isn't the only player who was told he won't be playing any time soon for his respective club by the NHL Department of Player Safety.
