Ryan Leonard's dangerous stick swing catches Cody Glass in the face as suspension questions grow
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Ryan Leonard took a double minor for a high stick that caught Cody Glass above the eye, and NHL Player Safety may take a closer look at the play.
Ryan Leonard could be hearing from the NHL.
The Washington Capitals winger drew a double minor for high-sticking New Jersey Devils center Cody Glass on Saturday night, and a swing like that tends to get a second look from NHL Player Safety.
No hearing or discipline had been announced as of this writing.
Leonard, 21, had just played the puck on a breakout when Glass closed in.
Leonard swung his stick and caught Glass above the eye.
Glass did not miss significant time and finished with an assist in 11:20 of ice time.
What Player Safety Weighs
A double minor is the standard call when a high stick draws blood, and it only settles the penalty in the game itself.
The league can still add a fine or suspension if the video shows a dangerous or deliberate swing.
In general, the focus lands on contact to the head and whether the motion looks like a hockey play or a wild swing.
Glass returning quickly helps Leonard on the injury side, but the league tends to judge the action, not just the outcome.
Another Hard Night for Washington
The Capitals killed off the four-minute penalty but still lost 7-4 at Capital One Arena, as the Devils completed a home-and-home sweep after Thursday's game in Newark.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 43 shots for New Jersey, which entered the night at 14-6-0. Washington came in at 10-7-0.
Leonard did score, a slap shot at 14:34 for his seventh goal of the season that put the Capitals back in front. He also scored Thursday.
That production is what makes a possible suspension matter: even one game without a goal scorer would be felt in a lineup that just dropped both games to the same opponent in three days.
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