It may have been just one of a number of egregious missed calls in Game Five, but the NHL Department of Player Safety has decided a high hit that was not called a penalty on the ice is deserving of a one-game suspension. After a hearing with St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev this morning, Player Safety has announced that he will be suspended for Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final for an illegal check to the head of Boston Bruins counterpart Marcus Johansson. The league explained the decision as such:
As Johansson releases a shot on goal, Barbashev deliver a high, forceful hit that makes Johansson’s head the main point of contact on a hit where such head contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head… The brunt of the impact of this hit is delivered by Barbashev’s shoulder into the head of Johansson… If Barbashev wishes to deliver this check, he must take an angle of approach that hits through Johansson’s near shoulder or core rather than an angle that picks Johansson’s head with his shoulder.
This is was just one of two missed high hits on Bruins players in the game, as defenseman Torey Krug also took a shot from forward Zach Sanford. That’s also not even including an obvious hold, again on Krug, and a blatant slew foot on Noel Acciari that lead to the Blues’ game-winning goal. Boston would likely trade this Barbashev suspension for a correct call in any of those situations.
This is also now the second suspension for the Blues in this series, as Barbashev’s fellow fourth-liner Oskar Sundqvist was suspended for Game Three after boarding Matt Grzelcyk, an incident that has since left the defenseman sidelined. While St. Louis has undoubtedly played a physical game in the city, one that has won them the war of attrition thus far against the Bruins, it’s not unfair that some fans feel they have been headhunting. However, the two suspensions are really more of an indictment on the officiating. Two suspendable offenses in this series have totaled just two minutes of on-ice penalties. Player Safety has had to step in to make the proper calls for them, even if just for the optics of appeasing frustrated fans – and the Bruins. There have certainly been missed calls against the Blues in the series as well, as their have for many teams throughout a postseason that has been difficult for NHL officials.
Guess this is the make up call for all the cheap shots and penalties that weren’t called in the last few games after Berube whined about calls after game 3.
Face it, boys, this will go down as one of the most crap-called Stanley Cup Playoffs in at least a generation.
Bruins play aggressively while the Blues play dirty. Extraordinarily saddening.
Who’s doing all the whining? For being such a “tough” team like they said after Game 1, all the Bruins have done is whine. Berube didn’t whine after the hand pass that directly lost the game against the Sharks. After Game 3, he didn’t like some of the calls and said that they had been the least penalized team in the playoffs before this series. That’s it. Not a whiny tirade like Cassidy after Game 5. Against The Bruins all of a sudden, they get called for everything. 4 to 1 calls last night.
A slew foot that has the player go to concussion protocol is not a good enough reason for the DoPS to have a hearing? An out and out head shot on Krug ( he ducked down and leaned in? ) doesn’t get a hearing either. Krug was leaning forward and the only part of him that was hit was his targeted head!
Not gonna say that it wasn’t a trip it was, but he played the puck at the same time. It should have been called and was surprised it wasn’t. They missed an interference call on one of the blues defensemen a little before that as well. However, I have yet to hear anyone in the media make any mention to the high hits the Bruins have had against Steen in two of the last three games, nor the interference they get away with so just stop the crying and play the damn game. Barbashev’s hit wasn’t bad he hit him in the chest with incidental contact to the head of a player that was leaning down. He didn’t plow through him like he could have easily done he didn’t even fling upwards like a lot of players do when checking. So yes there have been really terrible calls/missed calls, but it isn’t so one sided like the media and New England babies like to make it out to be. So when the Blues are Hoisting the Cup come Sunday lets all just say they played a hell of a series, came back from the abyss, and the best team won.
One last thing…Jordan Binnington played the best game of the series when the Blues needed him most in Game 5, and in Game 6 he will seal the Conn Smythe with a stellar game again.
>>>> “Bruins play aggressively while the Blues play dirty.” <<<<
Just by having Marchand on the Bruins roster makes this statement false.
I am not a fan of the Blues or the Bruins. I think the last several Stanley Cup winners from the past few years could have probably beat either of these teams 4-0 or 4-1.
All of these comments by Bruins fans are ridiculous. There are several players on the Bruins team that play dirty. There have been lots of non-calls on both sides in this final and throughout the playoffs.
Agreed
There have been no calls throughout the playoffs. Boston has had several players that could be suspended including Marchand’s hit directly at Terasenko’s knee in game 5.
Blues are also out playing the Bruins.
Tarasenko
I wonder if the Bruins would be saying the same thing when Marchand and co. played a dirty series vs the Canucks in 2011
How’s the taste of your own medicine eh Boston?
Amen brother! And Berube didn’t complain or whine. He just stated a fact that they were the least penalized team through the first three rounds and then had 14 penalties in the first three games.
Boston not near as tough and it shows.
sorry bruins . no doctor recchi and colin campbell making calls this time.
Pretty sure Bergeron literally got bit in that series and Horton practically died on the ice in a scummy late hit and missed the rest of the series after being a complete stud in those playoffs but no you’re right, huge scumbags…
I’m a homer Bruins fan, yes the refs missed some calls and as someone else pointed out the scumbag move by Marchand toward the end of that game with the B’s scrapping for life also went uncalled. It’s been both ways, but a couple things here is that I do think there have been more obvious calls that were missed calls against in the past couple games, I.e. the Kruger hold, Johansson hit to the head, and of course the trip… also a late run by Brayden Schenn at Chara up high in the first period was kind of a scum bag move… anyway as atrocious as the refs have been I’m more so furious at Pasternak playing like a damn princess avoiding all sorts of contact and looking at the refs every time he gets bumped and the fact that the B’s keep whining for calls (even if they should’ve been called). Play the damn game, it’s hockey… play to the whistle. The Blues did, they scored, they won. Bunch of damn divas that have played a physical game but clearly can’t take what they dish. They’ve been out hustled and it very clearly looks like the Blues want it more. Binnington has played on his head, the B’s look rattled. Boston is the better team but STL wants it baaaad.
I’m really worried the B’s come out flat in game 6 and already armed with postgame excuses. Play the damn game and play it your way like the last 5 minutes of game 5. It’s not rocket science.
Wait a minute…are you a blues fan? Yeahhhh I think you might be.
Did u watch that series?? That has to be one of the dumbest takes I’ve ever heard.
Of course I watched the series… do you think you could make a counter argument that isn’t just you calling something dumb just because you disagree with it?
I’ll give you a second chance
Did you read his super analytical statement? This has to be one of the second dumbest takes I’ve ever heard.
Marchand Gooooooal!!! Marchand heard you guys & stuffed it up your butts