The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese. The hit occurred in Game 3 of the team’s second-round playoff series on Tuesday. Washington won the game 4-3 and lead the series two games to one. Aston-Reese suffered a broken jaw and concussion on the play.
Washington’s Tom Wilson suspended three games for an illegal check to the head on Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese. https://t.co/rrZ8Hp3XkE
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 2, 2018
DOPS Suspends Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson Three Games
This is the second controversial hit for Wilson in this series. He was not given a hearing after a Game 2 hit on Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin.
This season, Wilson had 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 78 games. He also added 187 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 50.4 percent Corsi with a relative Corsi of 3.1 percent. He has two goals and five assists in nine games in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Over his five-year NHL career, Wilson has played only for the Washington Capitals. He has put up 35 goals and 69 assists for 104 career points in 391 games. He was originally drafted in the first round, 16th overall of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals.
The Capitals will have to play the next three games without their top line right wing. Wilson was playing a vital role on a line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Head coach Barry Trotz must now decide who will play a grinding role for the two talented Russians to be able to continue to make plays. Some candidates include Devante Smith-Pelly and Brett Connolly.
Game 4 goes tomorrow night at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh at 7:00 pm EDT.
Main Photo:
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 29: Tom Wilson #43 of the Washington Capitals leaves the ice after being called for penalty in the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center on April 29, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
