Jim Montgomery sounds off on last night's controversial call.
The head coach of the Boston Bruins did not agree with a pivotal call made by the officials, and he is not alone.
The two titans of the Eastern Conference this season clashed on Saturday night when the Boston Bruins went head to head with the New York Rangers. It was a game that the Rangers would eventually emerge victorious from by a score of 2-1, but it was not a game without its share of controversy.
The most controversial moment of the game would come when Bruins forward David Pastrnak, arguably the team's best player, was ejected from the game following a hit on Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Lindgren was busted open on the play and could be seen cleaning up the damage with a towel as he headed back to the Rangers bench, something that Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery believes influenced the call.
"Very surprised, I thought it was two minutes," said Montgomery of the hit. "I don't think he hits him anywhere near his numbers. I think he hits him on his shoulder and unfortunately [Lindgren] got hurt so if there's blood it affects the call."
Montgomery's opinion is his own but he's not alone in that opinion either. Former National Hockey League defenseman Marc Methot took to social media on Saturday night and shared his own criticism of both the call and Lindgren's behavior on the play.
"OK I’ll just say it and pile on all you want. This is now a becoming a trend in the league. Do players not know how to protect themselves anymore from hits?" asked a frustrated Methot on Saturday night.
"That’s a routine puck retrieval with pressure. Get the wall and absorb. Never reach for a loose puck."
Did the NHL's officials get it right? Or do you side with Montgomery and Methot on this one? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
