OSHAWA, Ont. - The Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is a chance for draft-eligible players to make an impression and Zack Kassian did just that by crushing junior hockey star John Tavares.
The Peterborough Petes forward sent the leading candidate to go first overall in this summer's NHL draft to the dressing room early Wednesday night with a shoulder injury after a punishing hit midway through the third period.
Bobby Orr, Tavares' coach in the showcase event, didn't have specifics on the injury but said "his shoulder is sore but he has good motion so that's good news."
Either way Kassian left the crowd of 5,510 at General Motors Centre - where Tavares starred for the Oshawa Generals the past 3 1-2 years before his trade to the London Knights last week - gasping.
"You play this game to be remembered and I think it would be, a No. 1 overall pick gets hurt in the prospect game so I think it should get a lot of media," Kassian said of the hit after his Team Cherry was drubbed by Tavares' Team Orr 6-1. "It's good for me, obviously, getting my name out there.
"(The attention) doesn't bother me at all."
The six-foot-three, 212-pound Kassian caught Tavares, six-feet, 200, behind the net and sent him flying into the boards. Tavares rolled around before getting up, whipped his stick against the ice as he skated off favouring his right shoulder and didn't return.
He skipped the on-ice post-game ceremonies
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