Capitals' Reirden calls hit on Oshie 'an extremely dangerous play'

Another dangerous play has enveloped an intense series between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes.

Late in Game 4 on Thursday night, Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele hit Capitals winger T.J. Oshie from behind, sending him into the boards in a heap and forcing the veteran from the contest.

The play didn't sit well with Washington.

"It was a defenseless player that was quite a distance from the boards, it's an extremely dangerous play," head coach Todd Reirden said postgame, according to NBC Sports Capitals.

Foegele was given a two-minute minor for boarding, but Alex Ovechkin doesn't believe that's enough.

"It's a dirty play," the captain said, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. "It has to be not two minutes. It has to be different call."

Although Foegele escaped a major penalty, the Department of Player Safety will look at the incident, reports The Athletic's Chris Kuc.

"I was trying to lift his stick, trying to give him a little nudge," Foegele said to Khurshudyan. "It was a little unfortunate play there, I wasn't trying to hurt him or anything. I hope he's OK."

Reirden said the Capitals will be without Oshie for "quite some time."

The incident marks the second straight contest when the two teams have shared their displeasure after a violent play.

In Game 3, Ovechkin knocked Hurricanes rookie Andrei Svechnikov out of the game with a devastating punch when the two fought. Carolina head coach Rod Brind'Amour then went on a lengthy rant about why Ovechkin's role in the tilt bothered him.

The Hurricanes won both contests to even the series at 2-2. Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET.