Dallas Stars defenseman Ryan Suter has always been regarded as a hard-nosed player, but he may have taken his physical play a little too far in the team's Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.
Suter caught superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov with multiple unnecessary cross-checks, remarkably not being penalized for either of the plays.
Suter's done this a couple of times already, particularly to Kaprizov, who's now labouring on the Minnesota bench. Probably not in the league's best interests to have their star players getting taken out on night 1. pic.twitter.com/WX6656ctR7
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) April 18, 2023
Both cross-checks seemed to have caught Kaprizov right in the rib cage, which is a brutal place to absorb contact. Although Suter wasn't penalized, Minnesota got the last laugh, winning 3-2 in double overtime on a Ryan Hartman game winner.
Still, fans across the hockey world were not at all happy with the 38-year-old Suter:
One of the biggest disappointments in Minnesota sports history, Ryan Suter, making the biggest impact he’s ever made in a game involving the Wild by continuously cross-checking Kirill Kaprizov and getting away with it#mnwild
— Brev (@brevmanbane) April 18, 2023
How many cross checks is Ryan Suter going to give, before he gets a penalty!
— Alex Micheletti (@AlexMicheletti) April 18, 2023
Ryan Suter is an enemy of the state
— Hockey Wilderness (@hockeywildernes) April 18, 2023
Ryan Suter is the gift that keeps on taking.
— Judd Zulgad (@jzulgad) April 18, 2023
Of all the people to cheap shot Kaprizov….Ryan Suter. #MNWild #Stars
— Zach Borg (@IceBorg) April 18, 2023
friendly reminder that stars and wild fans can always unite over hatred of ryan suter
— tk (@harleybacky) April 18, 2023
Ryan Suter is the biggest loser, two clear as day cross checks not called… what happened to protecting the superstars?
— Zech Mulligan (@McZech555) April 18, 2023
“With the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild locked in a tense postseason battle, it might have been the Dallas defenseman’s and Kaprizov’s individual battle that took center stage,” wrote Robert Zeglinski on Monday night. “And even while this was a game in the second season, Suter certainly seemed to take extra liberties.”
Playoff hockey becomes more desperate and more physical, that's just the nature of the game. But the league needs to crack down on plays like the one Ryan Suter was dishing out on Monday before it leads to a serious injury for one of the sport's star players.
Even with the abuse, Kaprizov managed to score a power-play goal for Minnesota in the final minute of the first period, and was a dangerous threat in the Dallas end all game long.
Game 2 is set for Wednesday night in Dallas, in a series that promises to be ultra-physical from start to finish. But it's very unlikely Minnesota will let Suter keep getting away with his reckless play.
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