Matt Carkner (Ottawa) and Brandon Dubinsky (New York) have been ejected in the second game of the series between the Sens and Rangers.
Carkner delivered a check to Ranger Brian Boyle before dropping the gloves and punching him repeatedly, even after he went down to the ice. Dubinsky joined in the fight, then all hell broke loose with everyone pairing off.
Carkner received two minutes for roughing, five minutes for fighting and a game misconduct. Dubinsky also received two minutes for roughing and a game misconduct for being the third man in a fight.
It would not be a surprise to see either get further disciplinary action from Shanahan. Carkner for his repeated punches; Dubinsky for knocking over things on the bench on his way to the locker room. His actions seem more fine worthy while Carkner may sit.
See for yourself.
This game is still going on as of this post.
Is the commentator right in saying that Dubinsky shouldn't be assessed a game misconduct for the "third man in" rule?
Let's look at it:
"46.16 Third Man In- A game misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the Referee, shall be imposed on any player who is the first to intervene (third man in) in an altercation already in progress except when a match penalty is being imposed in the original altercation. This penalty is in addition to any other penalties incurred in the same incident.
"This rule also applies to subsequent players who elect to intervene in the same or other altercations during the same stoppage of play.
"Generally, this rule is applied when a fight occurs."
Well, by rule, I'd say that Dubinsky is guilty. No match penalty was assessed and he joined an altercation. Like the rule states, generally this occurs during a fight, but not necessarily. Again, by rule, Dubinsky should have been given a game misconduct.
The question is: should there have been a match penalty? If Carkner was given a match penalty, then Dubinsky would not have automatically been ejected.
Match penalties are given for deliberately trying to injure an opponent. What do they look like? Like this Lucic penalty from last season against the Thrashers. Or Red Wings' Smith from this preseason. There was Winnipeg's Bogosian and his flying leap charge. I present to you this match penalty from Penguin Jordan Staal:
Now, Brandon Prust of New York was not in exactly a vulnerable position. He just didn't react quickly. And still, Staal was given a match penalty.
I specifically used the NHL link for the Staal penalty and not a Youtube clip, like the others, for a few reasons. This first is that by putting on the NHL website and not removing it, even far after that game is over, the NHL must agree with the ruling. In fact, if you search "match penalty" under the NHL.com videos section, you only get three videos. That one of Staal, Carcillo's, and an analysis of one from Thrashers' Eager.
Now, not everything on NHL.com is necessarily within the rules. But those videos they HAVE to show (like goals) also come with articles or other videos that explain why they were bad calls. Or, like in the case of the King's clock error, you can't find it everywhere. Don't forget, even though that play was reviewed by the War Room, it isn't on the War Room blog that has every single other goal/no goal from this season that they've spent some time reviewing. If they have to show the play, they have it as little places as possible. If it's not a huge play with score effecting results, it gets whitewashed from the website.
So we have to assume that the sucker punch is a match penalty offense. And what do I mean by a sucker punch? A deliberate punch to the head of an opponent. That appears to be what's happening in all of the match penalties from NHL.com/videos. A shot to the head. The difference between the hits online right now and this Carkner punch is that his victim was in a more helpless position. However, the punches don't land on the head or face.
Traditional fights have punches that land on the face, but those happen when both players are clearly engaged. That's a little different, so I agree with no match penalties for those types of hits.
So again, I ask, should this have been a match penalty?
Yes.
I think the officials missed this one.
While the punches don't seem to land on the head or face of his opponent with the same force as some of the others that have been assessed as a match penalty, by continuing to hit Boyle while he is on the ice and clearly not trying to punch back, one can only assume that Carkner is acting in a manner to cause injury, thusly a match penalty.
Looking at it from that perspective, then Dubinsky should not have been ejected. Because of the missed call on the ice, Dubinsky will have a record for a game misconduct in the playoffs. That is not right.
The NHL should do the right thing and subsequently impose a match penalty on Carkner and erase the game misconduct from Dubinsky. It doesn't change what happens in the game, but it will matter if Dubinsky is assessed another game misconduct later. After two in the playoffs, he's automatically suspended.
Carkner should also be suspended for a game for this (what I'm calling) match penalty and Dubinsky fined for his actions while leaving the ice. Even if it was the wrong call at the time, it is no excuse to go off the handle like that.
I am assuming that Dubinsky is getting the game misconduct for the "third man in" rule. If he gets it for verbal abuse to the officials or his antics in the penalty box, then I'm all for the game misconduct (though I'm banking on the third man in rule for the misconduct).
ESPN is currently reporting that Dubinsky (of the Rangers) also got a match penalty. I don't know where they got that information. It's not in the penalty summary on NHL's Game Tracker. It's not in the PA announcement in the video up there. It's not in the NHL article. I don't know where they got that information. Or why ABC I'll keep you up to date as this game goes into OT.
By the way: the Referee that was right there on top of the scrum? Ian Walsh. Of Winter Classic fame. And one of the officials that caused the Kings' coach to use the word "friggin'" in a post game interview, as in "some of the worst friggin' officiating I've seen in a long time."
Or the Linesman that helped break things up. Tony Sericolo. Is that name familiar? A Philly goal perhaps?
We will likely see Shanahan for SOMETHING from this game. Including a possible suspension for Carl Hagelin of the Rangers for an elbow to Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson's head. He did not return.
There are now two videos on NHL.com that have appeared since I started writing this post. One, the duel ejections. The other, the first goal of the game in St. Louis. And it isn't pretty if you are a Sharks fan...
Ouch.
UPDATE (11:40):
I was right. Hagelin got the attention of the Department of Player Safety. He will have a hearing for his elbow to Alfredsson on Sunday. No word yet on any other possible hearings, suspensions, or fines from the game.
