Oilers' Darnell Nurse Suspended for Headbutting Kings' Phillip Danault in Game 5

The NHL suspended Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse for one game Wednesday for headbutting Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault in Game 5 of their first-round series.

Nurse headbutted Danault late in the second period of the Kings' 5-4 victory.

The NHL called the act "unacceptable" in its video release Wednesday.

Nurse's absence will be a critical blow for an Oilers team facing a 3-2 deficit. He led all players with 26:23 of on-ice time in Game 4 and has been Edmonton's most consistent defensive force.

The Kings have scored four or more goals in all three of their wins in this series and will see a gaping hole on Nurse's side of the ice in Game 6. 

Edmonton will need to ratchet up its own scoring Thursday night to avoid elimination.