Kucherov kick deserved more than minor
Before Sunday’s meeting with the Capitals, Lightning star Nikita Kucherov said his team needed to make amends for a poor performance in Game 1, entertain the hometown crowd and also show kids the “right way” to play.
None of those boxes could be checked off after Game 2.
Not only did the Lightning disappoint the Amalie Arena faithful in a 6-2 loss, but with time winding down in the third period Kucherov blatantly kicked Capitals winger Brett Connolly in front of the Washington bench.
While Washington defenceman Michal Kempny was fined $2,419.35 for cross-checking Cedric Paquette in the face earlier that night, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has, at least as of yet, neglected to issue any supplementary discipline to Kucherov.
It’s mind-boggling, really, but then we are talking about the DoPS here.
“We want to make sure we get back there tomorrow and do everything we can and ensure fans are enjoying the game, not like yesterday,” Kucherov told NHL.com after Friday’s 4-2 series opening loss.
“There’s a bunch of kids in the stands and some of them want to be hockey players. I want them to talk the next day and say, ‘I saw Stammer (Steven Stamkos) make this nice play. It was really nice. I want to try it in practice.’
“We want to make sure they love it and we play the right way.”
To commit an act that has only been punished by a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct minor, Kucherov had to be frustrated both by his team’s showing and that he had been slew-footed by Connolly a few seconds earlier.
Following the game, social media was on fire with people outraged at the “dangerous” kick, even though Kucherov wasn’t overly forceful and did get Connolly in the front of the shin pad, where no real harm could be done.
Still, the skate blade is a sharp object and it was obviously intentional.
You have to hope the DoPS isn’t gong to turn a blind eye just because Kucherov is a star player.