Was Carson Soucy's suspension for cross-check on Connor McDavid justified?

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy was given a phone hearing on Monday and suspended one game for cross-checking Connor McDavid at the end of Game 3.

Soucy and teammate Nikita Zadorov got into a tussle with McDavid behind the Vancouver net after the final horn. After McDavid and Soucy exchanged slashes, Zadorov cross-checked McDavid in the back and Soucy then delivered a vicious cross-check right to the face of the Oilers' captain.

Soucy was suspended one game and Zadorov was fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

Here is the play:

Was Carson Soucy's one-game suspension for cross-checking McDavid warranted?

In short, yes.

This was a vicious play. Anytime a player gets his stick up high near an opponent's face, it is going to get some attention from the NHL Department of Player Safety.

The hit itself warranted a suspension, no matter what time of year. But even more so, the league understood that they needed to reel this series in a bit before it really got out of hand.

If Soucy was given a fine, like Zadorov, there would be far more of this type of activity in Game 4 on Tuesday. The series has already gotten physical and the NHL does not want to lose control.

On top of that, the league wants to protect its superstars. McDavid is the best player in the world. He brings excitement and skill, but more importantly for the NHL, he brings ratings and fans.

If the NHL set a standard that plays like Soucy's cross-check are only worthy of a small fine, they are opening a can of worms they may never be able to close.

Now, was the one-game suspension enough? I don't think so.

As mentioned above, this was a really dirty play. It was not a 'hockey play', as is so often referenced when looking at hits in the NHL. Soucy may not have been aiming for McDavid's face, as the NHL superstar was falling forward due to the other cross-check from Zadorov. But even if he wasn't, he put his stick and himself in a bad position.

It is similar to when a player is called for an incidental high stick. No, it may not be intentional. But if you put your stick in a position where it could come in contact with an opponent's head area, you deserve the penalty.

Soucy deserves more than one game for this. I would have liked to see the NHL really crack down and give him a two or three-game suspension. Maybe next time.