Tom Wilson Ejected After Crazy Hit On Sandis Vilmanis

The Washington Capitals will be without one of their top forwards for much of today's game against the Florida Panthers after Capitals forward Tom Wilson was ejected in the very first period of that game.

Wilson, who has been no stranger to controversy throughout his career in the National Hockey League, would last less than half a period after a hit he delivered to Panthers rookie Sandis Vilmanis went terribly wrong. Wilson would drill Vilmanis from behind sending him into the boards at a terrible looking angle, and Vilmanis would leave the game as a result of that contact.

It didn't take long for the officials on the ice to make their ruling on this one, awarding Wilson both a 5 minute major penalty and a game misconduct on top of it. While Wilson was of course trying to spark his team, he put them in a pretty big hole with his actions this afternoon.

Wilson was fuming as he was escorted off the ice and the cameras would catch him yelling onsecenties towards the Panthers' bench, but the decision had already been made.

This one looked pretty ugly and the only question for Wilson now will be whether or not the NHL's Department of Player Safety gets involved?