Nurse could face suspension for cross-check on Byfield
Published
Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse could be hot in water with the league's department of player safety after being ejected from Monday's 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.
Nurse received a five-minute major penalty for cross-checking and a game misconduct after driving his stick down onto the head of Kings forward Quinton Byfield after the two fell to the ice while battling in front of the Oilers net.
The incident happened at the 14:36 mark of the second period and Byfield did not return take another shift afterwards, being ruled out with what the Kings called an upper-body injury.
Byfield netted a power-play goal in the first period as the 22-year-old completes another strong year, recording 23 goals and 31 assists over 80 games.
A suspension of more than one game would force Nurse to miss time in the playoffs, when the Oilers will face the Kings for the fourth straight year.
Nurse, 30, has tallied five goals and 28 assists over 76 games with the Oilers in 2024-25.
The 15 minute penalty minutes to Nurse were among the total of 53 assessed to the Oilers on Monday, while the Kings picked up just 16.
During a second intermission interview, Kings forward Phillip Danault had some strong words for how he perceived the Oilers were handling the late-season game.
“I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” he said after the Oilers picked up 45 penalty minutes in the frame.
Los Angeles clinched second place in the Pacific Division with Monday's victory, sitting four points ahead of the third-place Oilers, who have just one game left. The Oilers have beaten the Kings in each playoff matchup over the previous three seasons.