New Jersey's Timo Meier Facing Major Suspension After Vicious Cross-Check to the Face in Nashville
The New Jersey Devils picked up a huge win over Nashville Predators on Monday, but now forward Timo Meier faces time on the sidelines after a cross-check to the face during a physical encounter with Nashville's Zachary L'Heureux.
Over the past week in the NHL, there have been some very dramatic, physical moments, with the NHL's Department of Player Safety being forced to make some very tough decisions.
Now, they've got another one on their hands, as New Jersey's Timo Meier has cross checked Nashville's Zachary L'Heureux to the face during their latest game in brutal fashion, earning him major discipline on the ice.
Unsurprisingly, the play earned Meier a five-minute major and a match penalty, and given the unnecessary intent of the play, it's safe to say that the DoPS will once again need to make a major ruling.
Throughout the game, Meier and the Devils were physically pushed around, and while they came away winners in the end, this was the culmination of many huge moments throughout this matchup, with self defense the motive that will be looked at in this one.
Perhaps the biggest factor working against Meier however is the fact that L'Heureux did not return to the game after this, despite taking place with seven minutes of the game left to go.
Despite the egregious nature of the play, Devils fans continue to stick up for their veteran forward, and while he had every right to defend himself, making a play such as this appears to be very unnecessary.
Ultimately, the NHL and the Department of Player Safety have made some surprising decisions on discipline as of late, and while many believe that Meier should be getting at least one game on the sidelines, after recent calls from the DoPS, it's tough to tell exactly what will come out of this.
