Vegas Golden Knights' Ryan Reaves suspended for Game 1 of Western Conference final

EDMONTON, Alberta – Vegas Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves will miss the opener of Western Conference final against the Dallas Stars after the NHL suspended him a game for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Tyler Motte.

Reaves hit Motte in the jaw with a check late in the second period of Game 7 on Friday night and was penalized and ejected. The league suspended him Saturday for Game 1 after a hit it considered avoidable but not intentional.

“If Reaves wishes to deliver a check on this play, he must do so by hitting through Motte’s shoulder and core rather than picking the head with force,” the NHL department of player safety said in a video announcing the suspension.

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Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer didn’t excuse Reaves for the hit, but hoped his relatively clean record – one suspension back in 2016 – and the circumstances of the play would factor into the NHL’s decision. He called Reaves “the cleanest, toughest player” he knows.

“Very rarely does he take penalties; he very rarely takes liberties,” DeBoer said. “He doesn’t take advantage of people in vulnerable positions, even though he could, and yet he plays as physical a brand of hockey as anybody in the league. I think he’s going for a hit there like he does every shift he’s on the ice and angle, movement of the other guy, he’s committed to it, doesn’t have time – whatever the reason. He catches him in the wrong spot.”

Motte returned to the game that Vegas won 3-0. The league agreed with Reaves that he didn’t aim for a head shot, but said Motte also didn’t move in such a way that made it an unavoidable hit.

Reaves’ penalty was just his third in 15 playoff games. Over that time, he has four assists while averaging a little less than 10 minutes of ice time on the Golden Knights’ physical fourth line.

“Obviously, the way that our fourth line sets the tone of the games and brings a very physical presence, it’ll be a loss,” Vegas defenseman Nick Holden said. “But we know as a group we have guys that can fill in. Will (Carrier) still brings a lot of physicality and a hard forecheck. He’ll be missed, obviously. He’s a big guy and a physical presence, but guys will fill in for him.”