NHL Rules On Darnell Nurse's Status For Game 5

This could be a series-defining decision. The NHL has ruled that Edmonton Oilers impact defenseman Darnell Nurse will indeed have to serve a one-game suspension in Game 5 of their series with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

NHL upholds the suspension for Darnell Nurse, which is brutal. Mark Stone said after the game that Nic Hague asked for the fight before the faceoff. https://t.co/wsBLjOf32P

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 11, 2023

Nurse and Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague dropped the gloves with just 40 seconds to play in the Oilers' Game 4 blowout win, but it was Nurse that was issued a two-minute minor on the play for instigating the fight. According to the NHL rulebook, that comes with an automatic one-game suspension and a $10,000 fine for the head coach. The incident was reviewed by the NHL today, and the ruling was upheld.

That head coach, Jay Woodcroft, certainly didn't agree with the NHL's decision. “I saw the play going on, I saw Darnell wrap somebody up, two guys bear-hugging each other,” said Woodcroft.“I saw their player with his gloves off first. I saw their player throw eight punches. So to me, that’s two willing combatants.

“It’s not like somebody was turtled up in a ball. I saw two willing combatants. And as I said, I believe it started with the Vegas Golden Knight player 14 had his gloves off first and he threw the first eight punches.”

The Oilers will now have to go without a top-pairing D-man in a critical Game 5 of the second-round series, currently tied at 2-2. 

The Golden Knights, however, aren't completely off the hook, as they could still be without their own crucial defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo, who has a hearing with NHL Player Safety over a vicious slash he laid on Leon Draisaitl near the end of the game. 

Photo: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports