Sharks defend Micheal Haley sucker punch vs. Predators (Video)
At 12:56 of the third period, Saturday night’s game ended for San Jose Sharks forward Micheal Haley, and rightfully so.
He was controlling the puck along the boards when Nashville Predators center Calle Jarnkrok ran him, driving Haley’s head into the glass with his forearm. Haley immediately sprung back to his skates and went on a search-and-destroy mission for Jarnkrok.
He grabbed the Predator and then dropped him with one punch, bloodying him in the process.
Jarnkrok was given two minutes for boarding. Haley was given a match penalty.
The Predators, who were up 3-0 at the time of the incident, went on to win 7-2.
According to the NHL rulebook, a player who earns such a penalty “shall be automatically suspended from further competition until the commissioner has ruled on the issue.”
“It’s an ugly play,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. “This isn’t the wild, wild west. I mean, Calle hit him. We took a penalty. If we start doing that, we’re in trouble, so hopefully it gets looked at.”
“When you run someone from behind in a game like that, you probably deserve to get a punch in the mouth,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer told reporters.
I mean, there are rules for these things, but he’s not entirely wrong.
UPDATE:
San Jose's Micheal Haley will have a hearing tomorrow afternoon for roughing/sucker punch on Nashville’s Calle Jarnkrok.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 26, 2017
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
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