Florida Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis was shaken up Saturday after a hit by Washington Capitals' Tom Wilson in the first period. The incident occurred in the offensive zone when Vilmanis had just played the puck; Wilson struck him in the back and sent him head‑first into the area where the boards and glass meet.
Wilson was assessed a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct, and the Panthers announced that Vilmanis would not return to the game. Florida capitalized on the extended power play, scoring once to take a 2‑1 lead.
Wilson, who has been suspended several times during his 14‑year career, previously received a 20‑game suspension for a blindside hit to the head in 2018, a seven‑game ban for boarding Boston's Brandon Carlo with head contact in 2021, and a six‑game penalty for a stick to the face of Toronto forward Noah Gregor in 2024. Vilmanis, 22, had his first career two‑goal game Wednesday night when Florida beat Chicago.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing