May 6, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) gestures towards a Vegas Golden Knights player during the third period of game two of the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights
(New York, NY) — Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has been suspended one game for instigating a fight in the final minute of Edmonton’s 4-1 win over Vegas on Wednesday night.
Per Rule 46.21 in the NHL rulebook, “a player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final 5 minutes shall be suspended for 1 game, pending a review of the incident. When the suspension is imposed, the Coach shall be fined $10,000.”
“For 40 minutes, he [Nicolas Hague] was out there challenging and trying to provoke a fight,” Nurse said. “For me, you play 24 minutes a game and you don’t want to take yourself out at the wrong time.
“With 30 seconds left in a 4-1 game, to do it a fair way, to have (a) fair fight where both people want to fight and are willing to engage, I think that is what took place last night.”
Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft also shared his opinion:
“I saw Darnell wrap somebody up, two guys bear hugging each other, and I saw their player with his gloves off first,” Woodcroft told reporter after Game 5. “As I said, I believe it started with [Hague], he had his gloves off first and threw eight punches.”
Nurse, 28, has recorded four assists in 10 playoff games. Game 5 is Friday night is Las Vegas.
