Ryan Reaves got himself into hot water on Saturday night.
The Maple Leafs fourth-line winger was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head on Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse during the second period at Scotiabank Arena.
Reaves caught Nurse in open ice, deep in the Oilers zone to the left of goaltender Stuart Skinner, with a hit that sent Nurse sprawling to the ice and bleeding at 2:41.
Nurse departed the game and did not return, and the Oilers announced he had an upper-body injury.
Reaves previously has been suspended three times by the National Hockey League Department of Player Safety. His most-recent suspension was during the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs when he was playing for the Vegas Golden Knights. Reaves was assessed a match for attempting to injure defenceman Ryan Graves of the Colorado Avalanche.
Reaves’ previous suspensions have totalled six games.
A match penalty calls for an automatic review.
The Leafs managed to kill off the five-minute penalty, which was served by winger Bobby McMann.
Prior to Saturday, Reaves had one assist and eight penalty minutes in 15 games this season.