Maple Leafs Captain Calls Out Lightning's Sergachev for Dirty Hit

If you ask Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares about what needs to be taken out of the NHL, he'll tell you checking to the head. Prime example was Mikhail Sergachev's hit on Thursday night on Mitch Marner as the Leafs welcomed the Tampa Bay Lightning to town.

The play happened late in the first period as Marner was heading in all alone. Both Lightning defenseman made efforts to catch up. Viktor Hedman used his stick to tangle up Marner and hook him, preventing him from the breakaway. Meanwhile Sergachev comes out of nowhere and goes for Marner's head, landing a blow to his chin with his shoulder pad.

Tavares was asked about what he saw on the play and had this to say to the media:

We want that out of our game. I thought it was dirty. Clips him right in the head. Just want to go in there and be there for my teammate. I just didn't like the hit.

Here's the hit all the fuss is about. Clean or dirty? This one shouldn't be up for debate: