The Anaheim Ducks may have fallen to the Seattle Kraken for the third time in a week on Friday night, but veteran Radko Gudas made sure it would at least be a memorable game for those fans in attendance. During the battle, Brandon Tanev was skating through center ice, and although we don't see many open ice hits anymore, Gudas made sure that wasn't the case in this matchup.
Unlike some players, Gudas didn't need to leave his feet or use his elbows in a potentially dangerous way, instead he used a throwback hip check, sending Tanev flying in the process. Thankfully, the veteran forward was okay after the very legal hit, despite how utterly brutal it looked at full speed.
It's unclear whether or not hits like this will make a comeback, but every once in a while it's great to see an open ice hit like this, as it adds to the physicality of the sport while remaining someone safe (at least, safer than someone leaving their feet and targeting the head of an opponent).
