The New York Rangers secured their place in the playoffs weeks ago, but they still have something to play for in the regular season’s stretch.
They have a chance at winning the Presidents’ Trophy, but it didn’t look like they had all that much to play for on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Flyers had an 8-game losing streak coming into Thursday’s match at the Garden, which means they’re still in the playoff race.
They’re currently just one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, who hold the second wildcard place in East, but with a game more played.
Just two games are remaining for the Flyers, and they need to win both if they want to have a chance of playing in the postseason. And it was obvious in Thursday’s game against the Rangers that they haven’t given up just yet.
The game was intense but also involved a controversial incident involving forward Garnet Hathaway and Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick.
Hathaway got tangled up with Quick just in front of the Rangers’ net, and as he lost balance, his skate ended up catching Jonathan Quick high.
Quick was furious afterward, and after pushing Gathaway some times, he also tripped him as the Flyers forward skated away.
On the replays of the sequence, it certainly looked like Gathaway put his skate up high on purpose, and on social media, fans were fuming over Gathaway’s actions.
It’s harsh to accuse anyone of deliberately trying to kick an opponent with his skate—especially given how many tragic incidents have happened due to players being cut by skates—but fans all thought it looked like Hathaway kicked his skate with purpose.
”Only reason skate blades from a pro hockey player end up that high is because they want them to be up that high,” one user said on X, formerly Twitter.
”Incredibly unnecessary for him to bring his skate up like that,” another said.
”Goalie has every right to smack some sense into him without punishment,” a third added.
”Well that’s a little reckless and extremely dangerous,” a fourth added.
