There have been plenty of hits and incidents during the opening weekend of the Stanley Cup Playoffs that have drawn the attention of the Department of NHL Player Safety, already leading to two suspensions.
Well, add another one to the list, and one from a familiar culprit.
Late in the third period of the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks game Saturday, Anaheim forward Corey Perry found himself in the middle of a questionable sequence. With a crowd of players jockeying for possession in a scrum along the boards, Perry came skating in and leveled Sharks forward Melker Karlsson with a check. The contact caused Karlsson's helmet to come flying off, and he breifly remained down on the ice before getting up.
Honestly, though. pic.twitter.com/NgQLAEiaw6
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) April 15, 2018
Perry was given a two-minute minor for interference, an inopportune infraction with 3:43 remaining in regulation and his team trailing by a goal.
Many chimed in though, feeling the time did not fit the crime and also bringing up Perry's history.
Regardless of what the point of contact was here the point is that he went out of his way to target a defenseless unsuspecting player. Just like the Kadri play it’s predatory and the sooner crap like this is taken out of the game the better.
— Filipovic Forsberg (@DimFilipovic) April 15, 2018
For the people in my mentions who are confused: you’re not allowed to full speed blast a dude without the puck. Hope this helps.
— Chemmy (@felixpotvin) April 15, 2018
Why is Corey Perry the way he is? What is he thinking?
— Adam Gretz (@AGretz) April 15, 2018
Perry never gets any breaks from the referees
— Rob Tychkowski (@Rob_Tychkowski) April 15, 2018
Trailing by one, late in the third, maybe don't clobber a guy who doesn't have the puck? Just spit-balling here.
— Scott Cullen (@tsnscottcullen) April 15, 2018
Corey Perry just couldn't help himself from Corey Perrying there
— Filipovic Forsberg (@DimFilipovic) April 15, 2018
Corey Perry lowers his shoulder and blasts Melker Karlsson for no reason, taking an interference penalty with his team down 3-2 with 3:43 left in a playoff game.
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) April 15, 2018
That's not a major penalty on perry???
— garik16 (@garik16) April 15, 2018
Perry does has a history of being punished with supplemental discipline for illegal checks. In 2013, the Ducks forward was banned four games for an illegal check on Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker.
Perry also found himself in hot water but avoided suspension after an incident involving a referee during the 2017 Western Conference Finals.
Um... Perry should be hearing from the @NHL for this. pic.twitter.com/doXwD5LPWD
— Fang Fingers Clothing (61:35) (@FangFingersTN) May 21, 2017
After the game, Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle gave a pretty blunt assessment of the play.
Randy Carlyle on Corey Perry’s late-game hit: “I think it would have been better served to be less violent.”
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) April 15, 2018
The Sharks won Game 2 against Anaheim 3-2 on Saturday, and will look to go ahead 3-0 on Monday when the series shifts to San Jose.