Sometimes a single penalty can turn the tide of a game. Friday night's barn-burner between the Islanders and Red Wings didn't seem like that sort of game, when Tyler Bertuzzi took a whack at the knee of Cal Clutterbuck. Detroit was up 5-2 with about 10 minutes to play in regulation. Clutterbuck crumpled to the ice, drawing an obvious penalty.
What came next was disputed by the Red Wings and set in motion a furious Islanders comeback and eventual 7-6 win.
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Bertuzzi was assessed a five-minute penalty for slashing, leaving the game in a fit. The Islanders rattled off four goals during the stretch to take their first lead of the game, the go-ahead marker courtesy of Josh Bailey with 1:49 to go. Detroit's Mike Green then tied the game with 29 seconds left.
Tyler Bertuzzi Slashing Major on Cal Clutterbuck. Islanders scored 4 times on the ensuing Powerplay. pic.twitter.com/A4V6hrXx7Y
— TheRenderNHL (@TheRenderNHL) February 10, 2018
Brock Nelson, who scored twice during the power play, completed the hat trick with the game winner 3:15 into overtime.
Hat trick goal for @Bnelson to cap off one of the biggest comebacks of the year in @EASPORTSNHL OT. pic.twitter.com/cx67MTiGcF
— NHL (@NHL) February 10, 2018
The set-up went to none other than super rookie Mathew Barzal, giving the Calder Trophy shoo-in his third five-point game of the season. Barzal recorded an assist on four of the Islanders' final five goals, giving him 58 points in 56 games. He's the second rookie in the history of the NHL with three five-point games in a season.
Mathew Barzal of the @NYIslanders is the second rookie in League history to record three games with at least five points in a single campaign – and first since the NHL’s inaugural season in 1917-18. #NHLStats #DETvsNYI pic.twitter.com/vbJWKCNkTr
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 10, 2018
The penalty drew criticism from some Red Wings after the game as too severe. Clutterbuck made a charge at Bertuzzi, but Bertuzzi then took a clear and intentional swipe at Clutterbuck's left knee.
After the game, Bertuzzi called the slash "a heat of the moment thing."
"I don't think it deserved a five," he said. "I think it deserved a two-minute penalty. It was more or less just sticking up for myself. ... I regret it."
Red Wings LIVE 2.9.18: Tyler Bertuzzi talks to the media after getting a game-changing five-minute penalty for slashing in the third period. pic.twitter.com/jEZCZ4pzHt
— FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) February 10, 2018
