Montreal Canadiens: Top 5 Missed Calls By Referees In Game 2
#2: Eric Staal taken out by Rowdy Roddy Pietrangelo
Early in the second period, with the Canadiens leading 2-0 (which means they aren’t allowed to get a power play, remember?) Alex Pietrangelo dumped the puck into the Habs zone. He was met by Eric Staal who delivered a light body check but slowed down the Golden Knights defender as he entered the zone.
The two remained tangled as they glided in from the blue line all the way into the corner. Then Pietrangelo, who must have been a big WWF fan growing up, did his best Rowdy Roddy Piper impression.
The Golden Knights defender grabbed Staal around the head, continued into the corner against the boards, used his other hand to also grab Staal by the face and then threw him to the ice. All of this happened dozens of feet away from the puck as it had long since gone around the back of the Canadiens net.
The composure demonstrated by the refs to not blow the whistle on this play is award worthy pic.twitter.com/gQDlIhgUWF
— Mathieu (@MathieuMMtl) June 17, 2021
The referees must have not known whether to call it holding or interference or roughing and couldn’t come to a consensus. Does this two person jury need to be 100% in agreement to get a minor penalty conviction? I didn’t think so.
No word yet on whether Vince McMahon saw Pietrangelo’s moves, but it is clear that Charron and Dwyer were oblivious to it all.