Paul Bissonnette has an unpopular opinion on Marcus Foligno’s game misconduct following knee-on-knee hit
The first-round playoff series between the Wild and the Stars were tied 2-2 heading into Game 5. It’s perhaps the most important game of the series, but the Minnesota Wild couldn’t have started the game worse.
And for veteran Marcus Foligno, it was a complete nightmare. With just more than two minutes into the game, the forward received a game misconduct and a five-minute major penalty after a knee-on-knee hit with Radek Faksa.
Foligno came in hard for a hit, but when Faksa remained face-first near the blue line, his knee took all of the contact from Foligno, and he had trouble getting up after the collision. Faksa got helped off the ice but returned to the game halfway through the first period.
Officials reviewed the play, upheld the major penalty, and issued a game misconduct. On the subsequent power play, Stars only needed eight seconds to score the first goal of the game. The Wild couldn’t return from the nightmarish start to the game, and the Stars won Game 5 4-0.
Many were angry with Foligno for the hit and called it dirty and nasty. But not everyone agrees. TNT’s Paul Bissonnette had other views on the hit, which weren’t exactly popular opinions.
”I think it’s very unfortunate for both sides,” BizNasty said. ”I think it sucks for Marcus Foligno because he was clearly going to make a shoulder-to-shoulder hit. You have to be in control of your body, but this is more for Dallas fans to understand, that this was not a dirty malicious play.”
As the play was rolled, BizNasty explained what really happened and why the collision was knee-on-knee.
”I get it, as a Dallas fan you’re thinking this was dirty, this was knee-on-knee, but we’re going to show you how this actually works.”
Bissonnette then displayed just what happened with the help of Anson Carter, and it was just a great watch. You can watch the full sequence from TNT here:
