And cue the outrage. The NHL playoffs apparently have a completely different standard of decency.
NHL Suspends Chris Kunitz, Steve Downie 1 Game Each For Game 3 Hits
The NHL has handed down suspensions to both Chris Kunitz of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Steve Downie of the Tampa Bay Lightning for hits in separate incidents in Game 3 between the teams on Monday night.
Both players will sit for just one game, and given the disgust over the Kunitz hit and the similarity of the Downie hit to one that got suspended for 25 games just four years ago, a one-game suspension just isn’t enough.
Let's go back to the video. Click here to view a GIF of the Kunitz incident from a reverse angle. You can clearly see him go out of his way to direct his elbow at the head of Simon Gagne. It's the definition of what the NHL hoped to rid the game of when the implemented Rule 48 last year, yet a one-game sitdown sends a message that in the playoffs, it doesn't matter how blatant your crime might be.
Here’s a look at the Downie hit.
It's almost identical to the hit he laid on Dean McAmmond back in 2007, but since that one was in a preseason game, Downie picked up a 25 game suspension. In the playoffs? Just a game. See you fellas in Game 5.
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