NEWSLETTER
Well, we knew this was coming.
Wednesday night’s game between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers got off to the start you felt was coming after the Tom Wilson incident on Monday night (and subsequent non-suspension). The Rangers released a statement on Tuesday night, and then also fired their Team President and General Manager, and then dropped the puck on Wednesday night’s rematch.
The puck drops and the gloves come OFF! 🥊
What a start for the Rangers and Capitals. pic.twitter.com/KvhUtPw52p
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 5, 2021
They wasted no time, dropping the gloves in a predetermined line brawl at the opening faceoff. This is what happens when a system like the Department of Player Safety cannot properly protect or police their players. Of course none of this happens this week if Tom Wilson doesn’t go after Pavel Buchnevich or toss Artemiy Panarin on his head on Monday night. So he got special attention as soon as he stepped on the ice.
Tom Wilson steps onto the ice for the first time and is immediately met by
Brendan Smith. 👀 pic.twitter.com/dC8KqjvSXl— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 5, 2021
Everyone has to get their pound of flesh, everyone has to get into a junk-measuring contest, this is the brain-damaging dinosaur world of hockey.
First period summary of Capitals-Rangers: 100 penalty minutes. pic.twitter.com/f9z8U5QWyA
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) May 5, 2021
They would eventually get back to playing the game, but not after two more fights in the first period. Six fights in total in the opening period take place over the first four minutes and 14 seconds of the first period. 100 penalty minutes in 20 minutes of “hockey.”
I hope the NHL is happy with this “showcase” on National TV. This is their doing.
