Dylan Larkin faces possible suspension for sucker punch and game ejection
The NHL has called him up for a hearing on Friday.
HockeyFeed
Most fans expected it. On Thursday night, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin received a match penalty for intent to injure after sucker-punching Tampa Bay Lightning winger Mathieu Joseph in the second period.
On Friday morning, the NHL made the call that he would have a hearing later today.
This all started when Joseph hit Larkin into the boards from behind. The captain responded by punching Joseph as he skated away, unaware of Larkin’s reaction.
A scrum of course ensued as Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta got into the mix. Both Rutta and Joseph received two minutes for roughing. Larkin was ejected from the game and now faces a suspension.
What might encourage Wings’ fans about their captain’s fate is that he is not a repeat offender and could get away with a shorter suspension.
However, some remain animated that Joseph should have gotten a call as well for his hit, though the Bolts see nothing wrong with it as head coach Jon Cooper commented after the game:
“Say what you want about the Joseph hit (on Larkin), there was no penalty called. At all. And then the melee starts and there’s the attempt to injure. For us to come out of that four-on-three is mind-boggling to me,” he said. “I just don’t know how that got rewarded, but it did.”
While the 7-6 overtime loss hurt the Red Wings last night, losing Larkin for a few games would hurt just as much…
