Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals was a thriller, with the Florida Panthers getting so close to scoring an equalizer in the game’s dying moments. But the Vegas Golden Knights managed to hold out their 3-2 lead in the game, and the victory means they’re now just one game away from the Stanley Cup.
With how close the game was, and with a lot of frustration for the Panthers not being able to tie the game out, the ending to the game was ugly.
A huge brawl occurred just after the final horn blew, with all players on the ice involved in the action.
Veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo immediately went after Matthew Tkachuk, but by doing so, many believed he violated some NHL rules. According to Section 9, Rule 70:4, a player exiting the penalty bench to get involved in an altercation at a stoppage of play following the expiration of their penalty shall be assessed a penalty in addition to a game misconduct and a ten-game suspension.
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But Pietrangelo got away without a suspension, and it seems to be many reasons for it. First of all, the referees didn’t assess Pietrangelo a penalty.
The rule also states that no suspension should be handed out if the opponent is the aggressor. Pietrangelo wasn’t penalized, but two Panthers players were, meaning Pietrangelo was cleared.
But Pietrangelo had another reason not to get suspended. When he shared his side of the story, things became very clear that he was legally released from the penalty box and that the NHL clearly considered him not to be the aggressor.
”Alex Pietrangelo said that a league employee opened the penalty box at the end of last game and even asked if he could go on the ice before he did,” said hockey reporter Renaud Lavoie on Twitter.
Pietrangelo won’t face a suspension, and on Tuesday night, he gets an opportunity to hoist his second Stanley Cup after winning with the St. Louis Blues in 2019.
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