If you missed the drama that took place in the final three minutes of OT between the L.A. Kings and Phoenix Coyotes last night, then you missed some solid entertainment. Moments before Dustin Penner netted the overtime winner, Dustin Brown made a “controversial” hit on Coyotes forward Michal Rozsival. There was no penalty on the play and the Phoenix Coyotes were so incensed that when it came time for the handshake line, Martin Hanzal and Shane Doan had some choice words for the Kings Captain. Brown didn’t back down either, to the point where Mike Richards had give him a little shove and tell him to keep it moving. The handshake line is usually a time to congratulate each other on a hard fought series and put those personal feelings aside, but not this time:
In a post game interview, Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith even had the guts to call Brown’s hit worse than that of Raffi Torres on Marian Hossa.
From Puck Daddy:
Mike Smith: “When Brown gets away with something like that after the whistle — knee on knee, that’s a dangerous play. If Raffi Torres gets 25 games for his hit during the play, this guy should be done forever.”
If you missed the play that sparked the drama, here it is:
NBC’s Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick had some very differing opinions on the hit and even had a heated debate of their own. Liam McHugh did his best to diffuse the situation, but there was no denying the tension between Milbury and JR:
Turns out JR was right. No suspension for Brown, not even a hearing. As far as I’m concerned, this is the only thing that really matters:
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