Washington Capitals’ Tom Wilson Suspended Again

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson has been handed a three playoff game suspension by the NHL Department of Player Safety.

The suspension, issued on Wednesday, is for a hit to the head on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese. The incident occured during Game 3 of the semifinal series between Washington and Pittsburgh, which is tied at 2 – 2.

In the second period on Tuesday, Zach Aston-Reese suffered a broken jaw after a Wilson check collided with his head.

This isn’t the first time Tom Wilson has been suspended, which is a factor in his latest punishment. Tom Wilson has been suspended three times in the last 7 months.

Most recently in last preseason, where he was suspended for two games for interference. He was also suspended for four games for boarding in a separate incident.

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The fact that Tom Wilson’s latest transgression caused “extreme injury”, coupled with the players’ “extreme history” determined the suspensions’ length.

The NHL ruled that Wilson moved “up and into” the hit, and that Reese’s head snapped back as a result.

It it’s illegality ruling, the NHL said that Wilson extended upwards “unnecessarily”.

“The onus is on the player that this upward motion does not pick the head.”

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Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will be pleased with the ruling, after expressing his desire for retribution post game.

“We lose a guy to a broken jaw that’s going to require surgery and a concussion because of another high hit to the head,” he said. “At some point, we would hope that the league might do something.”

Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz waived the incident off as “a hard hockey hit.”

In spite of this, Trotz is preparing to replace a player who has two goals and five assists in 9 playoff games.

“We’ll prepare like we always do. The focus is on the next game, and any adjustments or any changes we make, we’ll react however we need to. We’re taking roll call today and we’ll see where we are,” he said Wednesday.