Report: Senators' Watson avoids hearing for hit on Rangers' Motte

Ottawa Senators enforcer Austin Watson won't have a hearing for his hit on New York Rangers forward Tyler Motte during Thursday's contest, reports ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

The league determined the play wasn't charging and that it didn't meet the criteria for an illegal check to the head.

Watson was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the incident. He was issued a charging major, but he also appeared to catch Motte's head with his elbow.

Austin Watson elbows Tyler Motte in the head, forcing Motte to leave the game#GoSensGo | #NYR pic.twitter.com/JVlKkUfj7i

- Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) March 3, 2023

Motte, who was traded from the Senators to the Rangers in February, was ruled out for the rest of the game with an upper-body injury. He's dealt with head injuries in the past.

Watson has two suspensions for on-ice incidents in his nine-year career. He was banned for two games for an illegal check to the head in 2021-22 and two contests for boarding in 2017-18 while with the Nashville Predators.

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