Oilers’ Darnell Nurse suspended one game for cross-check vs. Kings
Posted April 15, 2025 6:22 pm.
Last Updated April 15, 2025 8:43 pm.
Darnell Nurse will be forced to watch the next game from the press box.
The Edmonton Oilers defenceman was handed a one-game suspension by the NHL’s department of player safety after having a hearing on Tuesday.
Nurse was ejected from Monday’s contest against the Los Angeles Kings for an illegal cross-check to the head of Quinton Byfield.
Nurse was handed a five-minute major on the incident that occurred midway through the second period and was subsequently tossed from what ended up as a 5-0 loss for Edmonton.
Amid a scrum in front of goalie Calvin Pickard with the Oilers killing a five-on-three, Nurse appeared to slam Byfield down to the ice before cross-checking him near the back of his head.
Byfield remained down on the ice for a few moments, but slowly got up and skated off. He was put in concussion protocol during the second intermission.
Referees called the major and misconduct on the ice, and confirmed both upon review.
The way the Oilers played in the game seemingly caught the attention of Kings forward Phillip Danault, who didn’t hold back during an interview between the second and third periods.
“I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” Danault told Kings reporter Patrick O’Neal.
Nurse’s ejection meant the Oilers were forced to complete the game with just five defencemen. The team already dressed one forward short due to a long list of injuries, including Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The game between the two teams who will meet for a fourth straight first-round playoff series was chippy, with a combined 69 minutes of penalties called by officials.
The Oilers’ final regular-season game comes Wednesday on the road against the San Jose Sharks.
