Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud took out Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies with a huge hit during Wednesday night's NHL game at Scotiabank Arena.
It happened about eight minutes into the second period with the Maple Leafs holding a 1-0 lead. Knies skated out of the Maple Leafs end of the ice with the puck towards center ice with Whitecloud lining up to take him out at center ice. Sure enough, as Knies reached center ice, he dumped the puck into the Golden Knights end of the ice just as Whitecloud lowered his shoulder and delivered a monster hit, laying out Knies flat on his back.
Zach Whitecloud catches Matthew Knies with a high hit. pic.twitter.com/9DaenOV3zZ
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Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit immediately went after Whitecloud in defense of his teammate. The officials blew the whistle right away to stop play and take control of the situation.
Knies immediately left the ice and sat on the bench but appeared to be OK. Whitecloud and Benoit were sent to the penalty box as they were given two minutes each for roughing.
Big hits are part of the game of hockey, and it's all good as long as no one steps over the line. Although Knies was hit in the face, it did not appear that Whitecloud was targeting his head, which may be why the officials did not call this a dirty hit.
As of this writing, the Maple Leafs hold a 2-0 lead in the third period and appear poised to extend their winning streak to three games and take first place in the Atlantic Division. It will be the second straight loss for the Golden Knights.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
