The Stanley Cup Playoffs brings out the best....and sometimes the worst in the game of hockey. It is a difficult job for officials and the NHL Department of Player Safety to get everything right and hold players to the same standard, but when one incident of a serious nature fails to get reviewed and another does, it makes one scratch their head.
For example, in Game 3 of the Bruins - Panthers series on Friday, Florida's Sam Bennett sucker punches Brad Marchand and knocks him out of the game and Game 4. Bennett did not get a penalty or a hearing. As much as you might say it is karma for the things that Marchand has done in the past, it is still something that should be penalized and/or reviewed.
.@jtbourne breaks down the Sam Bennett hit on Brad Marchand in Game 3 that will keep the Bruins' captain out of the lineup in Game 4. pic.twitter.com/EsL6KiiwsT
Fast forward to Sunday, at the end of the Canucks - Oilers game, when Connor McDavid slashes at Carson Soucy and the Vancouver defenseman responds in kind and then cross-checks McDavid to the face.
Soucy is getting a hearing with the DOPS.
McDavid slashes Soucy and he replies with a crosscheck to the face.