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Maple Leafs HC Craig Berube makes his feelings known about Zach Whitecloud's huge hit on Matthew Knies
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube made his feelings known regarding the controversial hit by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud on Leafs rookie Matthew Knies during Toronto's 3-0 win on Wednesday night.
Knies was carrying the puck through the neutral zone in the second period as Whitecloud stepped up and delivered a high, open-ice hit that sent Knies crashing down the ice. Whitecloud did not receive any penalty for his hit. Later, the Leafs announced Knies won't return for the game.
When asked about the hit after the game, Berube said:
"It's a tough call. I'm not going to sit here and comment on the league. They thought it was a clean hit. So it's a clean hit. There's nothing we can comment on. Really there's nothing to say."
Berube did not provide any update on Knies’s status other than it’s an upper-body injury. Following Whiteclouds's hit on Matthew Knies, Leafs' Simon Benoit took down Whitecloud in return.
William Nylander, Pontus Holmberg and Fraser Minten scored for the Maple Leafs in the victory. Goaltender Joseph Woll stopped all 31 shots he faced. Adil Hill stopped 23 shots in the loss for Vegas.
"Play hard, I mean more than anything, I think resilient, batted and competed. It was heavy game like we thought, you know, I thought out guys did a real good job of, you know, the physicality part and grinding, you know, being patient and not forcing things." Berube said on the win.
The Maple Leafs improved their record to 12-6-1 for the season.
P.K. Subban on Zach Whitecloud's hit on Matthew Knies
P.K. Subban analyzed the hit by Zach Whitecloud on Matthew Knies and commented:
"Clean hit by Whitecloud! Love to see those types of hits still in the game! #everybodyiseligible heads up."
With the Leafs already missing key players like Auston Matthews, David Kampf, Max Pacioretty, Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok due to injury, losing Knies was another blow.
After the game, Maple Leafs forward William Nylander said:
"I mean, I didn't really get to see it, so I can't really say anything. Obviously, it's tough when a guy goes down like that and so I have to look back at it and see what it was like."
The Maple Leafs will next face the Utah Hockey Club at home on Sunday.
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