It should have been a penalty. It was the slash on the leg that knocked him off balance.
IF you make a physical play WITH YOUR STICK against a player that leads directly to an advantage (or scoring chance) it should be a penalty. You could have called it slashing or cross checking or even hooking or whatever, but it lead
directly to the goal. The game deciding goal with 2 minutes to play.
Dillon could have played it better, could have just pushed it to the boards but the Z man hooked/pushed Dillon with the stick throwing off his balance then cross checked him essentially taking him out of the play and then took the puck and scored. Dillon is no powder puff either so it wasn't just a love tap.
Z man took advantage of a player by using his stick against him. I don't know when that is not a penalty except with a simple lift check.
Accidental or intentional, if you get your stick into a guy's skates and he trips...it's a penalty. Your slash his hands...penalty. You slash his legs and he falls...penalty. You slash his stick and he drops it....penalty. You cross check a guy in the crease and he falls to the ice...penalty.
I'm totally cool with using your size, speed, skill, whatever to knock a guy off the puck and take it from him, but if you use your stick to push a guy off balance, and then cross check him and that leads directly to a scoring chance (ahem GWG in a tie game with 2 minutes left)....That's a fucking penalty!
Make that play 2 minutes into a scoreless game, maybe then okay I can live with no call, but even then if it leads directly to a scoring chance....have to call it.
Oh wait...this was the Rangers player against the Caps? Oh never mind. That's not a penalty, then....even if it decides the outcome of the game.
Caps didn't really play their best game of the year, but far from their worst. Losing it on a bad play just leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Looks bad on the refs and the NHL.
