Watch: Jason Zucker delivers massive hit on Nick Cousins, then exchanges haymakers with Gustav Forsling

By Arnab Mondal

Modified Jan 04, 2024 17:08 GMT

In Tuesday's game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Florida Panthers, forward Jason Zucker made a controversial impact with a massive hit on Panthers' Nick Cousins near the side boards. The hit, deemed illegal from behind, prompted a swift response from Panthers' defenseman Gustav Forsling.

As tensions flared, Forsling wasted no time challenging Zucker, leading to an intense exchange of heavy punches. The skirmish reached a point where Zucker's helmet was forcefully dislodged during the heated bout.

Referees swiftly intervened to restore order, handing out penalties to both players involved. Jason Zucker received a 10-minute game misconduct, a five-minute fighting penalty, and an additional five-minute penalty for boarding, served by Zach Sanford. On the other side, Forsling was slapped with a 10-minute misconduct, a five-minute fighting penalty and a two-minute instigator penalty, served by Anton Lundell.

The penalties occurred at the 51-second mark of the second period, leaving both teams short-handed as the game progressed. The Florida Panthers eventually clinched a 4-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. The physical altercation between Zucker and Forsling injected a jolt of intensity into an already electrifying matchup between these two competitive teams.

Jason Zucker Faces Three-Game Suspension

Jason Zucker finds himself at a crossroads, having been handed a three-game suspension for boarding Panthers' Nick Cousins. This setback punctuates Zucker's inaugural season with the Coyotes, where he's tallied six goals and 12 points in 29 games.

Hailing from Newport Beach, Calif., Zucker's hockey journey spans 657 NHL games, during which he has notched an impressive 188 goals and 350 points.

His time with the Minnesota Wild is particularly noteworthy, ranking fourth on the team's all-time goal list with 132, and securing the ninth spot in overall points with 243 in 456 games.

Zucker was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 10, 2020, in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk, Calen Addison, and a conditional first-round pick.

His three-year stint with the Penguins, under contract until the 2022–23 season with an average annual value of $5.5 million, marked a significant phase in his career.

Concluding his contract with the Penguins, Jason Zucker embraced free agency, ultimately signing a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Arizona Coyotes on July 1, 2023.