VIDEO: Mark Giordano forces Nikita Kucherov from game with blindside hit

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov left Tuesday's game with the Calgary Flames after being caught with a blindside hit from defenseman Mark Giordano. 

Hardly malicious, the Flames' captain immediately gestured with apology, but Giordano still had to accept the recoil and dropped the gloves with Lightning forward J.T. Brown. 

You be the judge: 

-  h/t to ProHockeyTalk