Staal missed 27 games earlier this season with concussion issues.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 03/21/19 at 07:47 PM ET

Staal returns for the 2nd.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 03/21/19 at 08:06 PM ET

Looks like he was lining up for a clean hit and Staal fell at just the right time.

Posted by Thag from DC on 03/22/19 at 07:42 AM ET

@Thaq I agree

There are plenty of other hits every night that are borderline hits, I don’t see this as one of them at all. 

Posted by gretzky_to_lemieux on 03/22/19 at 09:03 AM ET

Looks like if Staal hadn’t fallen then Gourde would’ve hit him in the head with a slightly different part of his shoulder.

Posted by CharDeeMacDennis on 03/22/19 at 09:32 AM ET

Gourde is… not known as dirty or even terribly physical.  He’s a small, waterbug kind of player.

After watching it a few times I agree with commenters above.  This was one of those times where I’m not sure what Gourde was supposed to do differently.

Posted by Primis on 03/22/19 at 10:10 AM ET

Gourde is… not known as dirty or even terribly physical.

So?

Neither are McDavid or Eriksson or countless other players who were suspended for hits to the head.

This was one of those times where I’m not sure what Gourde was supposed to do differently.

How about not throwing a hit while your teammate is in the process of tackling the guy with the puck?

Posted by CharDeeMacDennis on 03/22/19 at 12:41 PM ET

Looks like if Staal hadn’t fallen then Gourde would’ve hit him in the head with a slightly different part of his shoulder.

Gourde = 5’ 9”
Staal = 6’ 4”

I am almost positive if Jordan had not fallen, Gourde would have hit Staal somewhere in the chest… Not anywhere near his head.

Posted by gretzky_to_lemieux on 03/22/19 at 03:47 PM ET