NHL insider gives his verdict on Carson Soucy and Nikita Zadorov's dangerous cross-check on Connor McDavid

NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes the league should suspend Carson Soucy for his cross-check on Connor McDavid. At the end of Game 3 on Sunday, McDavid and Soucy were slashing each other when Zadarov cross-checked McDavid to the back. As he was falling to the ice, Soucy cross-checked McDavid to the face.

After the cross-check, a scrum broke out, and following that game, many wondered if Soucy would face any punishment.

Taking to X, Seravalli believes the league should suspend Soucy or the entire series could become problematic if the refs don't take control of it again.

"Still too early to call which way @NHLPlayerSafety will go on Soucy/Zadorov cross-checks on McDavid. My opinion: Suspension is necessary. Intent is a dangerous game to play. End result matters: a cross-check to the face after buzzer. Don’t suspend? It’s a free-for-all now," Frank Seravalli posted on X.

Seravalli makes a good point that if the league doesn't suspend Soucy, they are setting the precedent that cross-checks to the face are allowed, which could result in someone getting hurt.

Former NHL GM and current TSN analyst also agreed with Seravalli saying a suspension needs to be had for Soucy.

"It's not a hockey play. It's at the end of the game, and this is one where the department of player safety has to suspend Carson Soucy," Button said. "If they don't, it's a failure of justice at implementing what is necessary in the game to make sure these types of plays don't happen. Anything less than that is unacceptable."

Soucy did receive a penalty for his cross-check, but as no time was left on the clock, the penalty didn't matter.

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Oilers focused on Game 4

The Edmonton Oilers lost Game 3 at home to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday by a score of 4-3.

The Oilers got the game's first goal, but Vancouver scored three times in the first period to take control of the game and cruise to the win.

Following the game, Edmonton superstar Leon Draisaitl said he thought the Oilers were the better team, but now the focus is on Game 4.

“I thought we were the better team, for the most part,” Draisaitl said, via NHL.com. “In my eyes, it should have resulted in a win, but you know that’s not the way hockey works sometimes. So, we’ll just regroup and get ready for Game 4.”

Game 4 is set for Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET in Edmonton.