Ice hockey moments can become intense. Indeed, when it looks like these players are having a fantastic time on the ice, they are sweating under those sweaters, as each of them wants a dub for their respective team. Yesterday, during the match between the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild at Canadian Tire Centre, the home team absolutely dominated with a final score of 6-0.

However, a certain incident took place between Wild’s Ryan Hartman and the Senators’ Tim Stutzle that caused a lot of controversy in the community. Indeed, the star forward of Minnesota took matters into his own hands during the game, almost knocking out and causing his opponent an injury for which he was awarded a match penalty. But now, the suspension might be upon him as he gets himself ready for an in-person hearing.

So what actually happened on the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre? Pressure was piling up on the Minnesota Wild as they were losing the game 3-0 right before the end of the second period. And during a faceoff where Ryan Hartman was against Tim Stutzle, he knocked his opponent down and further pushed his head toward the ice, as seen in the video posted by Spittin’ Chiclets on X.

It’s clearly visible how the Wild’s forward pushed Stutzle so hard on the ice that his helmet even gave up. This immediately caused the referee to take action and give Hartman the match suspension. But what about the Senators’ center? He kept playing the match even if he was bleeding, due to a cut right above his eye.

Stutzle never gave up in the game and went on to be a vital player in the match. He already had scored during the second period but secured two assists in the third period, following teammate Jake Sanderson’s and Drake Batherson’s goals. Surely, he did contribute a lot toward a dominant victory for the Senators, but he also took that hit from Hartman.

However, with the Wild’s forward set for a hearing, he might receive a whopping five-game suspension. Indeed, Hartman hit his opponent on his head, and that is something that is beyond the rulebooks of the NHL. Previously, the Wild’s forward has been suspended four times in his 11-year NHL career, and this might be another one for them, but it will put his team in real trouble.

Minnesota Wild might run out of forwards at this point

So what’s the current situation for the Minnesota Wild? In the standings, they are third in the Central Division, as they have played 53 games, out of which they have won 31, lost 18, and have 4 overtime losses. They were on a three-win streak before their game against the Ottawa Senators, where they fell 0-6 at their opponent’s home rink.

But is it over for them? Not really. The season is still long, and there are enough matches for them to climb up a rank or two. However, if Ryan Hartman does receive this predicted five-game suspension, it might endanger their playoff hope. Indeed, the Wild already don’t have one of their star players, who is none other than Kirill Kaprizov, due to him undergoing surgery.

Now, if they lose Hartman to this suspension, they will lose a vital player for many important games. While the forward has seven goals and 10 assists for the team this season, his presence on the ice is what has mattered the most. Indeed, Hartman is known for his physical play, and his ability might just have cost his team. Only time will tell about the fate of the ice hockey player.