Brandt Clarke suffers upper-body injury following hit by Hayden Hodgson

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke left Thursday’s game against the Ottawa Senators with an upper-body injury following a heavy hit from Senators forward Hayden Hodgson. The incident occurred during the second period when Hodgson delivered a forceful check from behind, driving Clarke into the boards.

Officials assessed Hodgson a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for the hit. Following the incident, Hodgson was scheduled to attend a hearing with NHL Player Safety. The hit has drawn significant criticism from fans and observers, noting Hodgson’s history of aggressive play and previous suspensions in professional hockey.

Despite the injury to Clarke, the Kings secured a 6-5 overtime victory against the Senators. Clarke had recorded an assist on the Kings’ first goal prior to his exit. The Senators mounted a comeback in the third period to force overtime after trailing 5-1, but Quentin Byfield ultimately scored the winning goal for Los Angeles.