No supplementary discipline for Steven Strong

EC GRAND Immo VSV player Gill received a pass from teammate Schmidt, where Gill received the pass, being a left hand shot, on his backhand. With KAC defender Strong located on Gill’s right side, it can be assumed the check come from the unsuspecting side of Gill. However, it is also important to note the VSV had puck possession and there is a responsibility of both the player in puck possession or making/receiving passes to know their surroundings. In this case, Gill is focused only to his left side, maintains a left side focus and after making the pass, Gill stayed in focus with the puck, not his surroundings.

KAC player Strong as a D’man, read the play moving through center ice. Strong made a commitment to make a defensive play on Gill while playing is moving through the neutral zone. Immediately and simultaneously, when Gill made a pass back to Schmidt, is when Strong committed to the pursuit of making a check. The check is deemed legal in regards to the use of the hip as the distribution point. The check is deemed slightly late, which is considered probable cause from a game officials stand point, if seen to have the possibility of calling a 2 minute Interference penalty. But not deemed worthy of a 5 minute and GM call.

It is also important to note, in real time, from the instance Gill makes the pass to the point of contact from Strong is less than one second. Which is considered a fast and tight time line, once committed to the check, to significantly alter or avoid contact.

This video serves as a brief description of the incident and decision made: