New York Islanders Coach Patrick Roy launched an offensive tirade against Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen on Tuesday night when Rantanen was suspended for injuring the Islanders defenseman. Alex Romanov.
With less than a minute left in regulation, Rantanen poked a shot past an Islanders defenseman. Scott Mayfield and pushed Romanov in the back. The Islanders defenseman slammed hard into the end board. Eventually he was helped off the ice. The Islanders later reported that Romanov did not have to leave the arena to go to the hospital.
Rantanen received a 5-minute penalty for boarding, which automatically entails a violation of the rules of the game. He is the Stars' leading scorer with 27 points in 20 games. New York was waiting 3-2 road victory. As Rantanen was leaving the game, microphones at ice level picked up Roy yelling at him. The coach apparently said, “You're not going to finish this game in hell,” which could be a reference to a rematch between the teams later in the season in New York.
After the game, Roy stated that Rantanen's hit was “disrespectful” to his team.
“I hope he'll be okay. At the moment I don't know exactly what it is. But all I want to say is [that] when you see the number you will have to quit. Everyone knows this. You can’t get past this guy,” Roy said. — I was in Colorado when [Rantanen] was called there. This is not his style. But at the same time, it shouldn’t be part of our game.”
All dangerous hits are reviewed by the NHL Department of Player Safety for possible additional penalties.
Dallas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said he had a “different take” on Rantanen's shot.
“If you watch the game, I think Mayfield is holding Rant and they're actually cutting the skates. So Rants also loses his balance going in there. If you were playing a game and you lost your balance, you tend to stick your arms out,” Gulutzan said. “I've seen Rants play enough over the last 10 years. This is just one of those hockey incidents that happened. I hope Romanov is okay. It's a dangerous game for everyone.”
Rantanen's ejection was part of a monumental final minute game between the Islanders and Stars. It turned out that Dallas tied the game with 0.1 seconds left. Wyatt Johnston. But the NHL's situation center initiated a review of goaltender interference – under NHL rules, any scenario that would otherwise be the subject of a coach's protest in the final minute of regulation or at any point in overtime can be reviewed.
The NHL ruled that Dallas Jason Robertson impaired ability David Rittich play their position in the penalty area in front of Johnston's goal.
“I thought Robo was pushed, but there’s nothing we can do about it. That was Toronto's call,” the Stars captain said. Jamie Bennplaying his first game of the season due to injury. Gulutzan said he thought the Stars had a chance to win the review because the ice call was a goal.
“Every time a player gets out of the way, you will argue whether he was pushed or whether he went in on his own. Obviously, you know where we stand on this,” he said.
