Injury Concerns from Gudas Hit Again
Another Olympic star has fallen victim to Radko Gudas.
Auston Matthews, a standout for the Maple Leafs and Team USA, exited Thursday’s 6-4 victory over the Ducks early due to a hit from Gudas. Toronto’s manager, Craig Berube, indicated that Matthews would undergo evaluation on Friday.
Interestingly, Gudas previously injured Canadian hockey icon Sidney Crosby during the 2026 tournament, sidelining Crosby for at least a month with a lower-body injury.
“That was a dirty play,” Berube commented, suggesting the league would likely assess the situation for possible disciplinary action.
The contentious play took place with just over four minutes left in the second period. At that moment, the Ducks were leading 3-2 when Gudas, attempting to impede Matthews near the net, collided with him, resulting in a hit.
Matthews, who is 28, hit the ice hard, immediately grabbing at his left knee and remaining down for a moment.
The crowd reacted with boos as Gudas received a major penalty and a game misconduct for his actions.
Commentary during the game noted, “Once again, we had trouble finding Radko Gudas.”
Before the match, Gudas openly declared that stopping Matthews was part of the game plan. “We need to keep an eye on him,” he stated, adding that they had to ensure he wasn’t left unguarded on the ice, suggesting it wouldn’t make for a pleasant game for him.
Although Matthews departed the ice with assistance, he had already contributed a goal in the second period, bringing the score to 3-2.
Berube expressed his dissatisfaction that Matthews’ teammates didn’t immediately confront Gudas post-contact, even though the team ultimately secured the win.
“Yeah, we had four guys there. We should’ve done something about it, but that just didn’t happen at that moment. The response to the third incident was better, though,” Berube observed. “I think everyone expected a stronger initial reaction, for sure.”
Gudas is now left waiting to see if there will be further consequences from the league. This incident marks another instance where he has injured a player recently.
The earlier hit on Crosby kept the NHL star off the ice while Canadian team advanced to face Team USA in the finals after besting Finland in the semifinals.
These actions are definitely drawing some attention.
“He’s had incidents like this before,” Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies commented, following the game.
Toronto seized the opportunity to tie the game shortly after Gudas’ penalty, eventually scoring five unanswered goals to turn the tide.
While the Ducks are grappling with a playoff race, this loss stings given their leading position in the Pacific Division. On the other hand, the Maple Leafs are in dire need of a miraculous push to reach the postseason.
