Call on Hertl -Hit Sets Dangerous precedent on the way to Play -Ooffs

On Sunday evening, Vegas Golden Knights was injured Tom Hertl in a match against the Lightning in Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped Hertl on an escape, and while Hertl went for the rebound, Lightning -defender Emil Lilleberg sent him flying in the shelves. Hertl stood up, preferred his right arm and went through the tunnel. He did not return to the game.

[Hertl] Has the escape there towards the end of the third period on Sunday evening, said Kyle Bukauskas on Monday's episode of the 32 thought podcast. First chance, except by Vasilevsky, he goes for the rebound, and Lilleberg on the backcheck, hands in the lower back of Hertl, and [hes] Tumble in the shelves.

Initially, the officials called a large fine of five minutes on Lilleberg. When assessing, they reduced it to a two -minute minor.

Why is it reduced?

One of the things I always do is that I first check the Rulebook, said Elliote Friedman. Looking at the Rulebook here, boarding is line number 41 and a small fine is basic. If you get a large fine, which they initially gave to Lilleberg, a major is an automatic game misconduct, the only thing that says here is, when a large fine is imposed under this rule for a violation that results in injury to the face or head of an opponent, a game -rating behavior will be imposed. Hertl, it's the shoulder, so they didn't have to give [Lilleberg] A game behavior there because it was not the face or head.

According to the rules, Friedman is the same. The piece did not result in an injury to the face or head of the Hertls; The officials on the IIC have therefore reduced the fine to a minor.

However, Friedman is also right when he says that this call creates a dangerous precedent that goes in the play -offs.

Dangerous implications

The Stanley Cup -Play -Offs are less than a month removed. The play-offs are usually littered with controversial calls and non-calls, and reducing this hit from a major to a small will not help.

Every call that you make on the eve of the Play -Offs is increased because everyone looks at it. They look at it and say, this is the way the play -offs are played, said Elliote Friedman. I look at [the Hertl hit]And I would have liked that that would remain a major.

Especially on the eve of the play -offs I look at such a play in the play -offs, everyone goes hard backchecking. I would look at such a play, and I would say, in this case I want the major, continued Friedman. My only concern about this piece is that coaches will show it to their players, and they say, watch, this piece has happened. It was a hard back check, small punishment. If you come back so hard and that game happens, kill that penalty. We want our boys to look back hard. And at this point in the season, especially in meaningful games, you don't really have to convince players that they have to do that.

I don't think [Lilleberg] tries to injure [Hertl]Friedman ended. I don't think the push is violent. But [Lilleberg] Has so much speed and Hertl is rather defenseless, and this is what can happen.

If the threat of droppings is not great, this kind of play will happen more often. When players play meaningful games, they do everything that is needed to win. As Friedman said, the piece itself was not a cheap shot, nor was it a violent push. But it was reckless.

Bruce Cassidys Thoughts About The Hit

After the Golden Knights 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, head coach Bruce Cassidy spoke with the media. When asked for an update on the status of the Hertls, Cassidy weighed meaningless hit on Lillebergs.

The call is what it is, Cassidy said. [Lilleberg] Plays, I don't know as well as a big guy, and he tries to settle in the competition. But that's a pointless hit for me. In such a situation, when a boys in a defenseless position, no threat and the pucks in the corner. It's a shame for us, and hopefully [Hertl] It's fine, but we will not know that the road went on the road immediately; Well, know more once we are [to Minnesota].

Hertl leads the Golden Knights in Doelen (31) and Power Play goals (14). He is third in the team in scoring with 59 points. Hertl is invaluable for the Golden Knights, and they will undoubtedly struggle if he misses every time.

[Hertl] Plays some of the best hockey he probably played in his career completed Cassidy. Hopefully he will heal soon.

Hertl -Lessness update

Bruce Cassidy said Postgame that they were hoping for good news. I didn't like what I heard on Sunday evening, said Elliote Friedman. Initially the word was not great; I just hope that is wrong. As Cassidy said, Hertls played great lately and the Golden Knights look really good. That would be a big, big loss, I don't know what to say here, except that I heard that they were worried about it.

The Golden Knights travel to Minnesota on Monday. According to head coach Bruce Cassidy, Hertl will be again evaluated there. Cassidy was hopeful on Sunday evening, but Friedman rarely misses it.

He is now being evaluated and hell will be evaluated again tomorrow, said Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy Postgame on Sunday evening. He was painful when he came off, seeing so well. Maybe you will get good news tomorrow.