NHL Department of Player Safety makes a decision after Mikko Rantanen's questionable hit on Alexander Romanov
Photo credit: Edit from Daily Faceoff
The NHL Department of Player Safety has made a decision on Mikko Rantanen's questionable hit on Alexander Romanov, and he will not be punished.
Stars forward Mikko Rantanen is not expected to receive any further discipline from the NHL for a boarding penalty against Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov in last night's game, per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.
What Patrick Roy did after the rough hit
The hit angered New York coaches and players, as head coach Patrick Roy was seen shouting at Rantanen as he made his way down the hallway.
With 27.3 seconds left in Tuesday's 3-2 loss, Rantanen collided with Romanov, pushing him head-first into the hard boards. Romanov was down on the ice for several minutes while a fight broke out, and he needed to be helped down the tunnel.
Rantanen was assessed a five-minute major for boarding as well as a game misconduct. The league felt the on-ice discipline was sufficient in this matter.
Roy was fuming in his post-game interview and said he never expected a play like that to come from a guy like Rantanen.
"All I'm gonna say is when you see the number, you have to lay off," Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. "Everybody knows that. You don't go through the guy.
"I was in Colorado when [Rantanen] was drafted there. That's not his style. At the same time, that should not be a part of our game."
"I was in Colorado when [Rantanen] was drafted there. That's not his style. At the same time, that should not be a part of our game."
Why Glen Gulutzan believes Miko Rantanen was not being malicious
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan had a different perspective on the hit, blaming it on Rantanen being off-balance as opposed to wanting to be malicious.
"If you watch the play, I think it's [Scott] Mayfield, the defenseman, actually holds up Rantanen, and they actually clip skates, so Rants is off balance going in there, too," Gulutzan said. "I've seen Rants play enough over the last 10 years that it's just one of those hockey plays that happens. I hope Romanov is OK. Rants clips skates, being held up, so it's a dangerous play for everybody."
The NHL appears to agree with Gulutzan's thinking that Rantanen was pushed off balance by Mayfield before colliding with Romanov. near the boards, hence no further discipline.
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