Jonathan Marchessault Says Hit by Tom Wilson Was Late, Wants NHL Review

Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault spoke out against a late hit by Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night.

Wilson laid out Marchessault with a blindside hit in the third period of Vegas' 6-4 win well after Marchessault passed the puck.

According to ESPN.com's Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski, Marchessault felt the hit was dirty: "I saw the hit. I remember everything. It was a late hit. I don't really need to talk more about it. I think the league will take care of it. We know what type of player he is out there. You gotta keep your head up and try to make the play. I didn't make the play, I was a little late, but whatever."

Wilson was assessed a two-minute minor for interference, and Marchessault returned to the game after going through concussion protocol.

Wilson didn't see a problem with the hit, saying: "There are going to be hits. It's a contact sport. That's all that I saw."

Both Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant and winger Ryan Reaves called Wilson's hit late.

Wilson is a prime candidate to face league review due to his status as a repeat offender. In Washington's second-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Wilson was suspended three games for breaking Pens forward Zach Aston-Reese's jaw with a hit. He was also suspended for games in the preseason and regular season for two separate incidents.

The 24-year-old leads all players with 79 hits in the playoffs, and he was fourth during the regular season with 250 hits.

Prior to the hit on Marchessault, Wilson scored the go-ahead goal for Washington in the third period of Game 1. Vegas went on to score three unanswered goals, however, leading to a 6-4 win for the expansion team.

The Golden Knights will host the Capitals in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday, and Wilson's status for that tilt is currently unknown.