Hayden Hodgson, Ottawa Senators forward, got the boot Thursday night, slapped with a game misconduct and a major penalty for boarding Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke. This wasn’t some minor infraction either, it was a brutal hit that immediately changed the entire vibe of the game.
The 21 MPH Collision That Shut Down Clarke
Hodgson took a full run at Clarke, reportedly charging in at a wild 21 mph according to the game broadcast, driving him hard into the boards just below the goal line. It was an instant powder keg. A brief scrum erupted right after, with the Kings’ Erik Haula picking up a two-minute roughing penalty on Hodgson for his troubles. The worst part? Clarke was ruled out for the rest of the game, with the Kings confirming an upper-body injury. That hit went down with 8:45 left in the second period, coming right after the Kings had lit the lamp three times in just 4:03 to snatch a 4-1 lead and send Ottawa goalie Jonas Johansson to the bench.
Ottawa’s Penalty Problem Spirals Out of Control
This wasn’t just a one-off for Ottawa. The Senators were a penalty machine in the first two periods, racking up six infractions. The Kings, being the opportunistic team they are, made them pay dearly. Erik Haula got one back on the power play, and Artemi Panarin joined the party with another man-advantage goal, pushing the Kings’ lead to a commanding 5-1 heading into the third period. It was a complete unraveling for Ottawa, fueled by their own lack of discipline. For Hodgson, this adds to a growing rap sheet: he’s only played 24 NHL games across five seasons, but now, including Thursday’s ejection, he’s stacked up 51 minutes in penalties.
What started as a close game quickly became a penalty-filled disaster for Ottawa. The Kings absolutely cashed in on the power play, riding that wave of Senators’ undisciplined play and that crushing hit right into the third period with a huge lead.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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