Kotkaniemi was going to miss body contact on Pierre Engvall. He’d already turned backwards and kind of exploded upward, and when he was going to miss he desperately swung his arm outward and backwards at head height in a reverse clothesline.
@Toronto Maple Leafs
5 Comments
Action instead of result, agreed. I do feel like four games is a bit much here, though I don't recall seeing this play live.
I'm a canes fan but I agree, especially since he jumps backwards which has nothing to do with the puck. I'm thinking he was maybe thinking he was about to get checked and had to counter, but Engval actually avoids him which was probably unexpected.
The difference is he isn’t swinging his elbow as you would with your arm at 90 degrees or more, he is swinging his whole arm. There is less risk of injury if any part of his arm makes contact, whereas in the case of an elbowing motion the contact is much more concentrated & forceful. Roughing penalty the right call here IMO
I'm an Islanders fan, but during the game I didn't think much of it. Here, however, it is very clear that he meant to do that. In the regular season that should definitely be in a 3-5 game suspension, but in the playoffs I think it should be one or two.
I'm an Isles fan and I don't think this is at all suspension worthy. If the roles had been reversed I would've called the rough, maybe an additional unsportsmanlike minor because he left his feet. Reckless, unnecessary, and i agree, not a hockey play at all.