Yahoo Sports 'I Don't Know If I Was Aware Enough': Darnell Nurse Takes Blame For Ryan Reaves Hit
EDMONTON -- Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.
Much ink and keyboard tapping has been spent on the Ryan Reaves hit on Edmonton Oilers defender Darnell Nurse. However, the concussed blueliner spoke to the media in Edmonton this morning before tonight's game against the Minnesota Wild.
Bearing a black eye, he acknowledged his involvement in the hit that put him on ice.
"There's an onus on the player with the puck to be aware of where everyone else is on the ice," Nurse said. "I don't know if I was aware enough."
Ryan Reaves receives a 5-minute match penalty for this hit on Darnell Nurse. pic.twitter.com/hVZN9FJpRY
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 17, 2024
He addresses the other major aspect of the hit, his head being the main point of contact.
"Even if you put yourself in a bad spot, there's lots of body on a 6-foot-4 hockey player to hit," Nurse revealed. "You can argue about the intent, but there are certain guys in the league - each shift they go out there, they try to inflict pain. I think it was pretty obvious what was going on there."
"Not one piece was touched other than my head."
Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Those are certainly feisty and fiery words coming from the Oilers defender. He said them with a smirk on his face, but everyone could catch the implications.
"There's also an onus on the person throwing the hit to hit the body," Nurse reaffirmed. "It's one thing if my head is between my legs."
"(But) I was in a skating posture."
It's one thing for there to be incidental contact to the head or for the head to be hit simultaneously with another body part. But when the head is the only point of contact, there will be questions about motive.
Reaves has served the first game of his five-game suspension. Nurse hasn't returned to game action, but could be back as soon as Saturday against the New York Rangers.
Another sand, another hourglass, another game on the shelf before Nurse is back in action.
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