Doughty doesn’t agree with suspension

Most NHL players will muffle their inner voice when it comes to speaking about league rulings that don’t go their way. At most, they will politely disagree.

Drew Doughty is not most NHL players.

The Kings’ emotional leader vehemently disagreed with a one-game suspension that forced him to miss Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.

“I don’t think for one second that that is suspension-worthy,” Doughty said.

Doughty was disciplined for an illegal hit to the head of Vegas winger William Carrier in the third period of Game 1. He said he was thankful Carrier wasn’t seriously hurt and that he didn’t intend to injure him.

But Doughty took issue with the NHL’s ruling that Carrier didn’t alter his position to make himself vulnerable to be hit. Doughty first hit Carrier’s shoulder but then caught him high in the head, resulting in a cut under his eye.

“He plants on his right leg going off his left, opens up his left shoulder and tries to jump to the inside, and that’s why he ends up in the middle of the ice,” Doughty said. “I don’t think it’s suspension-worthy . ... It’s awful.”

Doughty’s teammates weren’t as boisterous but they backed their teammate.

“Me, personally, I didn’t think it was going to be a suspension,” Anze Kopitar said. “I thought it would be a fine.”

Said Alec Martinez, “I think it’s a hockey play.”