UPDATE: Though there was word that Montreal Canadiens' winger Andrew Shaw could have a hearing for his actions last night, that won't be such the case, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun on Friday morning.
No hearing for Andrew Shaw, NHL spokesperson confirms
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 29, 2019
Tied at one midway through the second period of a pivotal game Thursday night, Shaw, working to get onside, saw Blue Jackets defenseman Adam McQuaid at the blue line. Shaw, a guy who's prone to deliver cheap shots, did just that, elbowing the 6'5" McQuaid in the head, dropping him to the ice.
Nationwide Arena fell quiet as McQuaid laid motionless for a bit before being helped off the ice by the Blue Jackets training staff.
Shaw was given a two-minute minor for interference, negating his own team's power play, but Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella wasn't having it.
“Suspendable,” Tortorella said after the game. “Ridiculously suspendable.”
Tortorella didn't get his wish, though, as NHL Player Safety will not look to penalize Shaw.
Shaw should consider himself lucky - his foolishness on the ice nearly cost his team a playoff berth (if he had been suspended) as the Jackets went on to outscore the Habs, 5-1, wrapping up a critical win to move ahead of Montreal in the race for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
