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Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson angered fans after a vicious high-stick on Toronto Maple Leafs' Noah Gregor during Wednesday's game at the Capital One Arena.
The incident occurred with 7:48 remaining in the third period while Gregor was skating with the puck along the sideline. Wilson was given a double minor penalty.
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The incident sparked debate on X (formerly Twitter), with many fans suggesting Wilson should receive a suspension.
"He BETTER get suspended for that. Swinging your stick like that is not a hockey play. Repeat offender, that's at least a 5-game suspension," one tweeted.
Here's a look at the other top reactions on X:
Others criticized the severity of the high stick of Tom Wilson.
Some fans defended Wilson's action, though:
Some said Wilson's actions were intentional:
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Wilson has been offered an in-person hearing for the hit. This means that he can be suspended for a potential of six games or more.
Auston Matthews leads Maple Leafs to victory amid Tom Wilson's controversial play
Auston Matthews wasted no time giving Toronto a 1-0 lead 16 seconds into the game. Max Domi set up Matthews with a precise pass behind the net for the opening goal.
Early in the second period, William Nylander extended the Maple Leafs' lead, firing a shot over Charlie Lindgren's shoulder from the right face-off circle. However, Alex Ovechkin quickly responded for the Capitals with a power-play goal at 9:57, courtesy of John Carlson's setup.
Matthews struck again at 12:59, notching his NHL-leading 57th goal of the season to make it 3-1. Connor McMichael brought the Capitals within one at 13:34, banking in a rebound off Joseph Woll.
Although Matthews seemed to complete a hattrick later in the period, the goal was overturned due to an offside call. Nonetheless, the Maple Leafs continued to dominate, with Domi's shot deflecting off Jake McCabe and past Lindgren to make it 4-2 before the second intermission.
Ovechkin kept the Capitals in the game with his second goal at 6:42 of the third period, but Toronto responded with goals from Bobby McMann and Tyler Bertuzzi, extending their lead to 6-3.
John Tavares sealed victory with a power-play goal at 16:02, securing the 7-3 win for the Maple Leafs.
Matthews finished with two goals and three assists, while Domi added four assists, aiding the Maple Leafs in snapping a two-game losing streak.
