Seattle Kraken forward Yanni Gourde has been suspended for two games for charging Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
The hit came with 3:37 remaining in the third period of Thursday’s game in Edmonton.
Gourde was issued a major penalty for charging by referees Steve Kozari and Chris Lee, who confirmed the call via video review.
Charging is covered in Rule 42:
A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player who skates, jumps into or charges an opponent in any manner. Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A “charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.
The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a minor [or major] penalty, based on the degree of violence of the check, to a player guilty of charging an opponent. When a major penalty is imposed under this rule for an infraction resulting in an injury to the face or head of an opponent, a game misconduct shall be imposed.
The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a match penalty if, in his judgment, the player attempted to or deliberately injured his opponent by charging.
From the NHL’s Department of Player Safety:
Gourde skates through the neutral zone with the puck as Ekholm defends against the rush. Gourde chips the puck into the corner and both players race to retrieve it. Ekholm arrives first and makes a play on the puck. As he does, Gourde elevates unnecessarily, launching up and into a check that makes significant contact with Ekholm’s head. This is charging.
It is important note that this is not a case of a player elevating slightly as part of a natural hitting motion while delivering a full body check, nor is it a case of a player coming off of the ice after contact because of the force of the collision. If Gourde wishes to deliver this check legally, he must stay low and hit through Ekholm’s shoulder or core rather than elevating upward and into his head.
The Seattle Kraken winger has been suspended previously, picking up a two-game ban in 2019 for an illegal check to the head of Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal.
Gourde forfeits $53,819.44 in salary as a result of the suspension.
