The Ottawa Senators had to finish their Game 3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes without key defenseman Jake Sanderson after an illegal hit to the head.
Carolina's Taylor Hall received a two-minute penalty for Thursday's hit, which sent Sanderson's helmet flying. Sanderson, who also blocked a shot with his hand, played two more shifts before heading down the tunnel during a power play.
Senators coach Travis Green told reporters that the hit to the head was what caused the defenseman to leave the game.
"I just don't understand how there's not a five-minute major called on the hit to the head," he said. "It's a blatant hit to the head, the kind of hits you don't want to see.
This is a brutal hit by Taylor Hall on Sanderson, which got two minutes for an illegal check to the head. Cut across front of body and head was main point of contact pic.twitter.com/BuoER6ympE
"It's ridiculous there wasn't a review. They called a review on (Senators captain) Brady (Tkachuk) on a penalty that I don't even know what the penalty was, and they totally miss a review on (Hall)."
Sanderson, who won a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics, was the Senators' top-scoring defenseman with 54 points in the regular season. He has two assists in the playoffs and played 43 minutes in Ottawa's double-overtime loss in Game 2.
Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.
Jan. 19: San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (left) fights Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena.
Nov. 6: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) fights Minnesota Wild center Tyler Pitlick (19) after his hit injured Carolina's Jalen Chatfield.
Oct. 18: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) is held back by a linesman after scuffling with Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Marchand is holding Dahlin's helmet and later pulled off the straps in the penalty box.
1 / 47NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hitsFeb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.
Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.
Jan. 19: San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (left) fights Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena.
Nov. 6: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) fights Minnesota Wild center Tyler Pitlick (19) after his hit injured Carolina's Jalen Chatfield.
Oct. 18: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) is held back by a linesman after scuffling with Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Marchand is holding Dahlin's helmet and later pulled off the straps in the penalty box.
The Senators lost 2-1 on Thursday and trail the best-of-seven series 3-0. They will try to stave off elimination at home on Saturday, April 25.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jake Sanderson injured on 'blatant' hit to head by Taylor Hall