"Smarten up kid" Fan Slams Gavin McKenna For Slashing Edmonton Oil Kings Defenseman Josh Mori

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Feb 27, 2025, 20:47 IST

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A fight broke out between Gavin McKenna of Medicine Hat Tigers and Josh Mori of Oil Kings, resulting in McKenna receiving a three-game suspension for using his hockey stick as a weapon. McKenna expressed regret and frustration over the incident, emphasizing that it was a one-time occurrence and that he did not intend to harm Mori.

"Smarten up kid" Fan Slams Gavin McKenna For Slashing Edmonton Oil Kings Defenseman Josh Mori

(Image via Getty)

Fights are conventional on the hockey rink, but when a fight goes out of bounds, it gets a suspension. In the case of Medicine Hat Tigers star forward Gavin McKenna, the fight went out of bounds. At first, it was Josh Mori who hit Gavin McKenna high near the Edmonton bench. The next moment, during the game, McKenna lifted both his hands and swung his hockey stick at Josh Mori's hockey stick. This hard-hitting blow resulted in the breakage of McKenna's hockey stick and Josh Mori falling to the ground on his knee and face. This particular incident cost Gavin McKenna 3 WHL games.

Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna shares, "It's just a one-time thing,"

Following the incident with Oil Kings defenseman Josh Mori, Gavin McKenna shared with the local media,
"It's a tough play. I got hit late, but just reaching, I was frustrated and I had no intentions of hurting him. I caught his stick, my stick broke and it looks pretty bad. So just a tough play freak accident, and whether I agree with the league or not, it's whatever and I've moved past it. I just have to make sure I'm controlling my anger. I deal with stuff every game where I have top guys trying to do stuff to me and knock me off my game, So I just have to get used to that stuff. It's just a one-time thing. I'm not a guy who's vicious or takes penalties. It just sucks."

X users instantly react to the brutal slash by NHL draft prospect Gavin McKenna

One X user wrote, "Wow that's an insane slash. Smarten up kid"
Another X user chimed, "Shoulda been 10. Not a hockey play. Attempt to injure. Really embarrassing and bad for the sport"
A third X user penned, "Dude used his stick as a weapon and clearly intended to hurt the player. Suspension definitely warranted. Not a hockey play."
A fourth X user penned, "Stick on stick contact though, look at that blade fly away from the contact. Now was it a stupid thing to do? Sure, ban worth act, 3 games? I don't think so, max 1 game perhaps. In the #NHL you get fined, especially if/when you are a first timer."
A fifth X user expressed, "Deserved."
Also Read:How far is Alex Ovechkin from Wayne Gretzky's career NHL goals? | NHL News - The Times of India

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TOI Sports Desk

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