New York Rangers coach, Alain Vigneault, ripped into the NHL Monday after not suspending Philadelphia Flyers’ forward, Wayne Simmonds, for a punch during Saturday’s contest. Simmonds punched, Rangers’ captain, Ryan McDonagh after McDonagh cross checked the Flyers’ winger in the back of the head. Simmonds received a match penalty for the incident while McDonagh received a minute double minor. McDonagh would leave the game with a concussion. The ejection led to a firestorm from commentators and analysts alike, all in disbelief that Simmonds’ actions warranted such a measure. Check out the video below:
Somehow this was a match penalty on Wayne Simmonds. pic.twitter.com/RUwtfBu87O
— Philly Influencer (@PHL_Influencer) February 6, 2016
Wayne Simmonds was ejected for an “intent to injure” however McDonagh is the clear aggressor in this situation.
The NHL needs to hold these refs accountable. Simmonds took cross-check to head and they somehow missed it?
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) February 6, 2016
Vigneault took to the media to express his frustration at the situation.
Via Andrew Gross, Ranger Rants
““What I didn’t expect was the reaction from the league. An All-Star player gets sucker-punched, goes down. I wonder if that’s (Sidney) Crosby, what happens? What are the consequences? And, on top of that, a player breaks his stick, throws it at the referees. In the rulebook, that’s automatic. It’s three games. Nothing happens. It’s not even on the sheet after the game.”
There is one key question that defines Vigneault’s excerpt:
Vigneault is smoking the #NHL for not suspending Simmonds. Says he wonders if McDonagh were Crosby what league would have done #NYR
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) February 8, 2016
That is a good question, Alain, let’s take a look:
Absolutely nothing. @PLeonardNYDN pic.twitter.com/7W8TECP4wi
— Conner (@Conner_87) February 8, 2016
How fitting that it be a Ranger to prove my point. This was during the 2014 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals between Vigneault’s Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The photo shows a Rangers’ player(Marc Staal) cross-checking the aforementioned Crosby in the back of the neck(the same kind of incident Vigneault ripped the league for in 2015). The result of the play? A missed call, the same outcome as the Simmonds situation.
However, Simmonds is not one to back down from a scrum. The punch was no more a cheap shot than the play that started the entire incident.
Alain Vigneault needs to read up on what justifies a cheap shot and what does not because to me, he is sitting on both sides of the fence.
