The NHL’s department of player safety seems to be staying quiet after some chaotic scenes in Tuesday night’s game between the New York Islanders and Dallas Stars.
Stars forward Mikko Rantanen is not expected to face supplemental discipline for his hit on Islanders defenceman Alexander Romanov, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed on Wednesday.
The incident happened late in the third period as the Stars were pressing at six-on-five to tie the game. Rantanen was skating in on the forecheck when he made contact with Romanov, sending the 25-year-old face-first into the end boards.
Romanov immediately appeared to be in pain and required assistance to skate off the ice. Rantanen was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and ejected from the game.
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy seemed incensed after the melee, caught on a hot mic suggesting that the Islanders will retaliate against Rantanen during their next meeting.
“You won’t finish the game at home,” Roy yelled as Rantanen was heading down the tunnel. “Why won’t you come to New York and talk?”
There was no word Wednesday morning on whether the NHL would discipline Roy for his comments.
“When you see the number, you have to lay off. Everybody knows that. You don’t go through the guy,” a calmer Roy said post-game of the Rantanen hit, adding that he had no update on Romanov’s condition. “To me, it’s disrespectful for our guys. … That should not be part of our game.”
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan defended Rantanen, saying the hit only occurred because Rantanen was tied up with Islanders defenceman Scott Mayfield.
“I’ve seen Rants play enough over the last 10 years that it’s just one of those hockey plays that happen,” Gulutzan said after the game. “I hope Romanov is OK. … It’s a dangerous play for everybody.”
Friedman reported that the contact between Rantanen and Mayfield was a factor in the department of player safety’s decision to forgo a suspension.
With the Rantanen ejection and the ensuing chaos, the Stars and Islanders combined for 35 penalty minutes in the third period, including a double-minor for high-sticking dished out to Bo Horvat.
The Islanders and Stars do not meet again until March 26.
— With files from Associated Press
