Update: After a hearing held earlier today, the Department of Player Safety announced that Cedric Paquette will been suspended for one game for his hit against Torey Krug. The hit came during the second period of the Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins game yesterday. Paquette earned a two-minute minor for the hit, and Krug was not injured by the play.
Cedric Paquette: Has been suspended for one game due to illegal boarding against Torey Krug of the Boston Bruins. https://t.co/SjKH4k4pmV #nhl #GoBolts
— Left Wing Lock (@Left_Wing_Lock) December 1, 2017
This was first time in 191 career games Cedric Paquette has been fined or suspended by @NHLPlayerSafety
— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) December 1, 2017
GeoFitz4 wrote about the incident in last night’s recap, leaving us to wonder whether Frank Vatrano should also have a hearing for his actions during those moments.
It didn’t take long for things to heat up though. Cedric Paquette came down behind the net and hit Torey Krug from behind into the boards. The referee immediately raised his arm for the penalty. Frank Vatrano unhappy with the hit made a bee line for Paquette and stuck out his foot to trip Paquette. Vatrano got up and immediately made a run at Paquette to try and fight him. A melee ensued, but the linesmen intervened quickly. Paquette got a minor for boarding and a minor for roughing, while Vatrano was given a minor for roughing and a minor for tripping to keep the game at even strength.
Cedric Paquette runs Torey Krug into the boards pic.twitter.com/Y5QuNgdvKL
— Marina Molnar (@mkmolnar) November 30, 2017
The hit inspired a video segment from TSN writer Mike Johnson, who said that this is the type of from-behind hit into the boards that officials are trying to remove from the game. “We’ve seen hits this year before that have resulted in suspension,” Johnson said, and “a precedent has been set” by Player Safety hearings and suspensions on players such as Canucks’ Erik Gudbranson and Predators’ Austin Watson, for similar hits.
Gudbranson was suspended one game for boarding Vatrano, and Watson was suspended two games for a hit on Dominic Toninato.
Paquette had just recently returned to the Bolts’ lineup after injury.
