Calgary Flames Rookie Likely to Face Suspension for Vicious Hit on Elias Pettersson

With less than twenty games in the regular season for every team in the league, the NHL is heating up fast as it nears the Stanley Cup playoffs.

This proves no different in the Western Conference, in which the second Wild Card spot still remains a close battle.

Two of those battling teams were the Vancouver Canucks, who have had to pick themselves up after locker room drama, and the Calgary Flames who have maintained a middle-standing position throughout the season.

With both Canadian teams within a point of one another, tensions on the ice were high, but possibly too high for one rookie in particular.

2020 first-rounder Connor Zary took to the ice with the Flames tonight with a vengeance, seeming to try playing an enforcer over a point producer.

During the game, he violently hit newly controversial Canuck forward Elias Pettersson in the neck region before holding him down on the ice following the impact.

Based on the intensity and purposefulness of the collision, fans and analysts believed that Zary was deserving of suspension and would most likely receive one.

Despite the clear hunger from Calgary, the Vancouver Canucks were victorious in the end, taking the 4-3 win in the shootout.

After their success on the road, the Canucks are now tied with the Flames in points, falling just behind in point percentage for the final Western Conference playoff spot.

With no confirmation yet on Zary's fate hopefully, the battle will not be already fought and over for either Canadian team.