Jordan Eberle’s hit on Andrew Cogliano ruffled Avalanche feathers even before it was revealed that Cogliano had fractured his neck on the play.
After Jared Bednar told reporters Sunday morning that Cogliano is out for the playoffs — regardless of the result of Game 7 vs. the Kraken — Eberle recounted the hit as a fast play on which he didn’t intend to cause an injury.
“The puck’s coming up the wall, and I just went in to try and make a play, and … it’s tough when the puck is moving that fast and the game’s that fast, especially a playoff game,” he said. “When the play ends up in an injury, it’s always unfortunate. I was happy to see (Cogliano) back in the third. And obviously you hear that he’s hurt the next day, it’s tough. But for me, it’s just trying to play hockey.”
Eberle, a former teammate of Cogliano’s with the Edmonton Oilers, declined to share whether he has spoken with Cogliano since the Game 6 hit in Seattle.
“That’s private to me. It’s a fast play,” Eberle said hours before Game 7 at Ball Arena. “I mean, everyone knows my game, and I never want to injure a guy. Especially a guy I played with and respect.”
Eberle did not receive a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety, avoiding a suspension and leaving the 20-goal scorer eligible to play in Game 7. The league does not comment on hits that do not result in supplemental discipline.
“That’s out of my control,” Eberle said when asked if he expected to hear from Player Safety. “I’m just trying to play hockey. Like I said before, obviously it’s unfortunate when a guy gets hurt. Especially a guy you know.”
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Cogliano did testing between periods after leaving Colorado’s bench. A league concussion spotter did not signal to the Avalanche’s medical staff that the play was a concussion risk, so the winger was not in concussion protocol. Cogliano, known for his toughness and ability to play through injuries, returned in the third period after he told medical staff that he felt fine.
“What an animal, eh?” teammate J.T. Compher said. “When he comes back in that game, I’m not surprised at all.”
It wasn’t until after the Avalanche landed in Denver on Saturday afternoon that Cogliano felt more pain in his neck, leading to a CT scan. It revealed a fracture to his C5 Lamina.
“I don’t like the hit. From 5 years old you’re wearing stop signs on your back on every jersey,” Bednar said, still frustrated that Eberle wasn’t suspended. “Itap numbers the whole way. (Eberle) doesn’t really ease off him. There’s more than one type of suspension hit. There’s the predatory hit where the guy goes after someone from distance and hits him dirty. But there’s also, in my opinion, watching and coaching the game — there’s also bad decisions. Sometimes they are split-second, sometimes they take a little longer.
“Cale Makar, for one. I don’t think he’s trying to take a run at (Jared) McCann, but the reality is he made a decision to finish him, and there’s no puck there. So itap a suspension. It is. And I think this (Jordan Eberle) one is the same way. (Cogliano’s) back is turned. (Eberle) might be thinking he’s going to turn so he can hit him clean, but he doesn’t turn. Itap a bad decision.”
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