Montreal forward Kirby Dach left the Canadiens\u2019 game Sunday night against the Anaheim Ducks because of an upper-body injury after a high hit from winger Jeffrey…<\/p>\n
MONTREAL(AP) \u2014 Montreal forward Kirby Dach left the Canadiens\u2019 game Sunday night against the Anaheim Ducks because of an upper-body injury after a high hit from winger Jeffrey Viel.<\/p>\n
Viel caught the unsuspecting Dach in Anaheim\u2019s end three minutes into the first period after the Montreal forward swatted at the puck with his arm but missed.<\/p>\n
Dach fell to the ice with his face in his gloves before gingerly making his way to the bench, and eventually to the dressing room. Viel was not penalized.<\/p>\n
Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj and forward Josh Anderson approached Viel later in the period, but Viel declined apparent requests to fight.<\/p>\n
The hit came three days after Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas ended Toronto captain Auston Matthews’ season<\/a> with a knee-on-knee hit. Matthews has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Gudas was given a major penalty and ejected, then suspended five games for kneeing \u2014 the maximum the Department of Safety could levy because the hearing was by phone.<\/p>\n