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Should Dan Carcillo be suspended for high stick?

If the NHL is just as intent on punishing dumb and reckless plays that result in injury, just as much as they want to singly out intentional and dirty ones, then it’s possible that Dan Carcillo could be facing a suspension by the NHL. At the 15:14 mark of the third period, Carcillo went after New Jersey’s David Clarkson, in what I’m guessing was an attempt to start a fight. Instead, he cross-checked Clarkson in the face. Clarkson was cut above his eye and needed three stitches.

From Rich Chere of The Star-Ledger:

“I think he went to punch me and he hit me with his stick,” Clarkson said. “He came in and wanted to fight and I think he got his stick up. I think it was pretty dirty.”

Carcillo received a match penalty for the incident.

“They don’t really hand out match penalties (for no reason),” Clarkson said. “I didn’t see it coming and I had my hands down.”

I’ve watched the replay a number of times (I couldn’t get a clear screen grab) and it wasn’t a blatant “I’m going to hit you right in your face with your stick” type of cross check. Instead, Carcillo got him once on the shoulder and then another was deflected up and into Clarkson face.

So it wasn’t necessarily intentional, but it was unneeded and reckless. Suspension worthy? Let the wheel of justice spin.