Maple Leafs fans hoped this would finally be the year their team got past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. This year, they’re up against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Leafs got off to a horrific start. The Maple Leafs lost 7-3, and now, they face the threat of being without forward Michael Bunting in Game 2 and possibly even for longer than that.
Bunting received a match penalty after a high elbow hit to the head of Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak with a little more than 4 minutes left of the second period. Earlier in the game, Cernak was penalized for roughing Bunting, but when Bunting delivered his illegal hit, he was assessed a five-minute major.
Buting’s hit was reviewed and confirmed by referees, and the NHL’s player safety department later said he would have a hearing Wednesday. It was later announced that it will take place at 3 PM.
READ MORE: John Tavares absolutely slammed by fans for what he said following brutal loss in Game 1
Many believe Bunting is in for a suspension for one, two, or possibly even three games. But not all agree.
When the hit first happened, TNT’s Paul Bissonnette tweeted that it only deserved a two-minute penalty. Later, when speaking on NHL on TNT, he claimed that Bunting might get away without a suspension. You get here about his thoughts here:
It’s a very unpopular opinion from BizNasty, and he got roasted hard on social for it.
His podcast co-host Ryan Whitney said that Bissonnette ”must be smoking some secret stash.”
Many responded to the Tweet saying that Bissonnette is way out of line and that Bunting’s for sure has a suspension on the waiting.
He is getting a game for sure, and I am a Leafs fan…,” one said.
”Everyone in Toronto media thinks he will be suspended. But this guy doesn’t,” another said.
”Give the man a break. Biz still suffers from concussion,” a third added.
We’ll see if Bunting gets a suspension, but we got to give it to BizNasty—this is a bold take!
