While the Pittsburgh Penguins were in the midst of a huge comeback over the Philadelphia Flyers, one of their heaviest players laid a huge hit that briefly stopped the game in the second period. While a few players made contact in the neutral zone, Penguins forward Boko Imama caught Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway with a blindside hit that left him out cold on the ice for a few minutes.
The Penguins forward was initially given a five-minute major penalty, the Flyers forward needed the help of multiple teammates and trainers off the ice and down the runway to the locker room.
After a review of the hit, the officials determined Imama did not make contact with Hathaway’s head and reduced the major to a two-minute minor for interference.
Flyers head coach John Tortorella was irate on the bench and continued to disagree with the call after the overtime loss. Officials explained to Tortorella that Imama did not make contact with Hathaway’s head, but that didn’t stop one of the most vocal head coaches from giving his thoughts.
“That’s why it was a two-minute penalty,” Tortorella said. “It’s probably one of the dirtiest hits I’ve seen in quite a while. That’s why he hits his head on the ice. I believe we should be thinking about what really happened on the hit. Not get glued on the hit to the head originally. That’s a dangerous, cheap hit.”
The hit from Imama doesn’t seem like a suspendable offense, but the play was well away from the puck and a clear blindside hit.
“I understand the explanation,” Tortorella said. “But I don’t understand how you end up with two minutes on probably one of the dirtiest hits I’ve seen in a while.”
Before laying into Hathaway, Imama told Josh Yohe of the Athletic that the two had been jawing at each other most of the game. Imama asked to fight Hathaway on more than one occasion, but the Flyers forward turned down all offers.
Imam also pleaded his case that there was no intent to injure or lay a dirty hit. Just an unfortunate outcome from a simple play.
“My intention was never to be dirty or to hurt anyone,” Imama said “I always play clean. Obviously, it’s a physical game. Unfortunately, things like this can happen. I didn’t get a chance to see the replay. But I knew, deep down, I had the right intention. I just wanted to bump him.”
Following an uncharacteristic outburst from goalie Alex Nedeljkovic and this hit from Imama, the Penguins went on to win 5-4 in overtime, snapping their four-game losing streak.
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