I have a lot of time for Corey Perry. I don't deny that were I an NHL GM, I would want Corey Perry on my team. He's a power forward in every sense of the job description. He will hit you, score on you, fight you, and generally make your life miserable for 60-65 minutes a game. Perry is great at his job. He is the perfect villain. There are only a hockey mitt full of players like him in the National Hockey League today.
I watched between 25-30 Anaheim Ducks games on TV this season. On many an occassion, Perry has straddled the line of good sportsmanship within the context of a shift with face washes after the whistles, snowing opposing goalies, butt-ending opponents, and glove punching opponents in scrums.
Having said that, Corey Perry deserves supplemental discipline for his freight-training of a defenseless Melker Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.
With Anaheim trailing San Jose 3-2 with just under four minutes left to play in regulation, Perry decided to take the law into his own hands by taking a long distance run at Karlsson .
What motivates Corey Perry to do the extra cirricular things he's become known for does? I do not know. Only Corey Perry can answer that question.
What I do know is that on Saturday night, when his team needed him to be a hero, Perry crossed the line. For whatever reason, he locked in on Karlsson and settled a grudge with him. Problem being, the Ducks needed a leader at that very moment.
The Sharks forward didn't have possession of the puck at the moment of high impact by Perry. Karlsson was in a vulnerable position having just engaged in a puck battle. He was defenseless when Perry ear-holed him with bad intentions. At first blush, I though Perry smashed arlsson's head on impact. Upon further review, Perry made high contact with the defenseless Karlsson. The head was not the principle point of contact. Karlsson lost his bucket as a result of being T-boned in the high speed, dangerous collision with Perry that he did not see coming. Thus, Karlsson could not brace himself to protect himself from the inevitable dangerous collision.
What the Ducks needed most at the moment of Perry smashing Karlsson was possession of the puck and a sustained possession in the Sharks end of the rink. Perry could not comply. He was too busy trying to settle a personal score with Karlsson. Perry's brain cramp cost his team the opportunity to stay on the offensive side of the puck. Perry killed his team's chance of possibly tying the game and perhaps tying the first series with the Sharks at 1-1.
Final score: 3-2 Sharks.
San Jose now hold a commanding lead lead in their series with Anaheim the next two games on home ice at the Shark Tank.
Way to go, Perry. Props to your dumb decision.
Like Nazem Kadri and Drew Doughty, Perry chose to take the route of making a selfish play rather than stick with the team concept at a critical juncture of a playoff game. Kadri was given a three game suspension for his illegal hit on Boston winger Tommy Wingels.
Doughty was given a one game suspension for his greasy hit on Vegas Golden Knights forward Will Carrier.
Perry should have been given a five minute major for interference for blasting Karlsson. He was given a mere deuce, which sent his team to the penalty kill at a moment when they needed to pull their goalie for the extra attacker to try to score the equalizing goal.
The question now is whether NHL Department of Player Safety Czar of Discipline, George Parros, will be caalling Perry for a hearing to discuss his blindside hit on Karlsson. Parros is a former Anaheim Duck teammate of Corey Perry.
So, there's that relationship. Friendships should not be a factor in handing out supplemental discipline. What Perry did was wrong and it could have resulted in a serious injury to Karlsson. Perry's hit on Karlsson is a beer league move that should not be tolerated in the NHL. That is why Parros must ban Perry for one game to serve notice that DoPS will not be sitting idle while the players aare running afoul of the rules.
Perry is no stranger to supplemental discipline, having earned suspensions in the past, including a four-game suspension for elbowing in 2009 and a four-game suspension for an illegal hit in 2013. Perry's history should play a factor in whether he gets a suspension for his hit on Karlsson.
What do the Ducks, Leafs and Kings all have in common?
All three teams find themselves buried in unenviable 2-0 sink holes in their first round series.
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