A game into the eight first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series and there have already been a number of on-ice incidents that have ended up being reviewed by the NHL's Department of Player Safety. But it's one hit that didn't draw any supplemental discipline that has Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie mad.
On Thursday, the Avalanche opened their postseason with a 1-0 loss to the top-seeded Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
Late in the second period of that game with the score tied 2-2, Barrie took a cross-ice pass coming down to the faceoff dot and fired a shot on goal. After he released the puck, he was leveled by Predators forward Ryan Johansen, with Barrie crashing to the ice. The hit came up high, though it's difficult to tell if the principle point of contact was the head.
Ooof this was a questionable hit by Ryan Johansen on Tyson Barrie pic.twitter.com/4VdXrg4psD
— Fitz (@FitzGSN_) April 13, 2018
While the league reviewed a number of incidents from Thursday night -- Nazem Kadri has a Friday hearing for a charge major, and Tom Wilson escaped supplemental discipline for an illegal check of his own -- it was reported that no further fine or suspension was coming for Johansen.
According to ESPN, the NHL concluded, " ... the head wasn't the main point of contact, and that it was a 'full body hit' through the chest and shoulder."
That apparently didn't sit well with Barrie.
Barrie not happy today with no NHL action on the Johansen hit. Says if those are the hits that are allowed “maybe you take some runs at guys” and deliver similar hits.
— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) April 13, 2018
Game on.
Barrie did not participate in practice Friday, though it was reportedly just to rest, not because of an injury sustained by that hit. No penalty was called on the play, and the Predators scored three goals in the third period to break a tie and take Game 1, 5-2.
Hours before that series began, the NHL suspended Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty a game for an illegal check to the head of the Golden Knights William Carrier. While Carrier exited that contest following the hit, he appears to be back in Vegas' lineup for Game 2.