Sometimes toeing the line in the NHL pays off for you.
The Bruins tied the game because they crushed a Rangers player with a late hit
The Rangers didn’t expect that outcome.
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
With his team leading 2-1 halfway through the second period on Friday, New York Rangers forward Derek Stepan circled behind his own net and fired a puck up the boards. About a half second later, Boston Bruins forward Matt Beleskey leveled him with a big hit into the boards that left Stepan in pain.
Beleskey hit on Stepan pic.twitter.com/bl6pHfvb4V
— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 27, 2015
Naturally, Rangers defenseman Dylan McIlrath stepped in and immediately engaged Beleskey in fisticuffs. The end result of a play like that is usually five minutes each for fighting and an extra two added on to the offending hitter that started it all.
Not so on Friday! Instead, they each earned five minutes for fighting and McIlrath got the extra two minutes for instigating. Beleskey’s hit went unpenalized, and the Bruins got a power play out of the whole thing.
You can probably guess what happened next.
2-2 in the 2nd period pic.twitter.com/ppGBDE6Mm1
— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 27, 2015
Yep. Brett Connolly tied the game for the Bruins. I’m sure Rangers fans are handling this whole sequence well. Stepan played out the rest of the second period but didn’t return for the third.
#NYR Derek Stepan will not return to action this afternoon
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 27, 2015 See More:
