Adam Fantilli ejected at World Championship for questionable hit

Team Canada forward and 2023 top draft prospect Adam Fantilli was ejected from Monday's game against Norway following a questionable hit on Christian Kaasastul.

The incident occurred in the second period of Monday's game. Kaasastul had the puck in the corner in his own zone when Fantilli glided into him and leveled him to the ice. Kaasastul was down on the ice and bleeding for about a minute, while Fantilli was given a five-minute major for checking to the head.

The officials reviewed the penalty for a few minutes before upholding the call on the ice, giving Fantilli a five-minute major and a match penalty. There's a good chance that Fantilli will have a hearing with the IIHF Disciplinary Panel, but it seems unlikely that he'll be suspended.

The IIHF is very strict when it comes to any head contact, even if it's as minimal as it was in the video below. But if this hit happened in a National Hockey League game, there likely wouldn't even be a penalty on the play.

Adam Fantilli with a big hit on Christian Kaasastul.

There was some head contact, which was reviewed.

Fantilli has been ejected. #IIHFworlds pic.twitter.com/ZoTfoTiTpe— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) May 22, 2023