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Report: Tanguay avoids suspension for “flying elbow”

Tanguay 2

Mike Russo of the Minnesota Star-Tribune reports there will be no supplemental discipline for Flames forward Alex Tanguay after elbowing Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon on Thursday.

Here’s the hit in question:

The elbow left Spurgeon with a concussion that will sideline him indefinitely. Tanguay received a two-minute elbowing minor on the play, with both the hit and penalty drawing the ire of Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo.

More, from the Pioneer Press:

Yeo called it “a dirty hit” by Tanguay, and the NHL is expected to look into a possible suspension.

“It’s a flying elbow,” Yeo added. “His elbow is extended and almost above his head - the player’s head, not Jared Spurgeon’s head - when it makes contact.”

Tanguay received a two-minute minor penalty for elbowing.

Yeo said it’s “certainly a possibility” that Spurgeon will not play again this season for Minnesota, which has nine games remaining beginning with a game Saturday against the Sabres in Buffalo, N.Y. “This is not something at this point in the season that we would rush him back,” Yeo said. “We’ll just wait. Day by day right now.”

Spurgeon is Minnesota’s leading defenseman scorer this year (3G-20A-23PTS), so Yeo’s frustration is understandable. This also happens to be the second contentious hit Spurgeon’s been on the receiving end of.

Back on Dec. 26, he was nailed head first into the boards by Colorado’s Cody McLeod:

Spurgeon missed two games with a lower-body injury stemming from the hit; McLeod was given a five-minute major and game misconduct, but avoided suspension.