New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier exited Monday's Game 7 against the New York Rangers after taking a big hit from defenceman Jacob Trouba.
Just over five minutes into the third period, Meier cruised through the neutral zone and crossed the Rangers' blue line before getting flattened by the six-foot-three, 203-pound Trouba.
Meier lay stunned on the ice until the Devils' training staff came out to examine him. After a few moments, the winger was able to get up on his own power and head to the dressing room. Meier later returned to the bench but didn't take another shift in the game. He did participate in the handshake line after the Devils won 4-0 to eliminate the Rangers.
Replays showed clear contact from Trouba's shoulder to Meier's head, but the Rangers blueliner was not assessed a penalty of any kind on the play.
This type of hit's legality is determined by Rule 48.1 in the NHL's official rule book, which states: "a hit resulting in contact with an opponent’s head where the head was the main point of contact and such contact to the head was avoidable is not permitted."
To determine whether the head contact was unavoidable, and therefore legal, the following circumstances must be considered:
"(i) Whether the player attempted to hit squarely through the opponent’s body and the head was not 'picked' as a result of poor timing, poor angle of approach, or unnecessary extension of the body upward or outward.
(ii) Whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable.
(iii) Whether the opponent materially changed the position of his body or head immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit in a way that significantly contributed to the head contact."
The officials deemed one or more of these scenarios applicable and did not penalize Trouba. No explanation for the decision was provided by the officials during the game or by the NHL immediately afterwards.
When asked for a comment post-game, Devils' head coach Lindy Ruff said, "I thought there was contact with the head but I'd have to look at it again." He provided no update on Meier's condition or status ahead of Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
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