Sports

Malkin-Zetterberg Fight: Does Malkin Deserve a Suspension?

by Jon Azpiri | June 1, 2009 at 11:10 am

1681 views | 0 Recommendations | 9 comments

In the dying seconds of the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 victory in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin picked a fight with Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg.

It was an unusual sight to have two star players gooning it up at the end of a Stanley Cup Finals game. More than a few critics are wondering if Malkin's star status is what's preventing the league from suspending him for instigating the fight.

With 19 seconds left on the clock, Malkin grabbed Zetterberg from behind to goad him into fighting. The two went at it and afterwards Malkin received an instigator and a fighting penalty. NHL rules state that instigating a fight in the final five minutes carries an automatic suspension. The NHL, however, rescinded the instigator penalty thereby avoiding a suspension.

To some, the Malkin-Zetterberg fight represents what's wrong with NHL officiating, namely that different players get treated differently by officials. It's hard to imagine that a player like, say, Donald Brashear, would have an instigator penalty rescinded after starting a fight with an opponent's star player, but for some reason the league didn't do so after the Malkin fight.

Perhaps the NHL took back the instigator call because they knew that it might be a death sentence for the Penguins. Already down 2-0 in the series, the Penguins desperately need to win Game 3 to stay in the series. If Malkin had been suspended, the chances of the Pens making the Finals a competitive series would be greatly reduced.

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Srwilder (not verified)

at 11:30 on June 1st, 2009

Malkin didn't start the fight. What started the fight was Talbot's unnecessary push of Osgood to make him drop the puck past the goal line.

KingTut (not verified)

at 15:41 on June 1st, 2009

Malkin went looking for Zetterberg and started instigating a fight which he should be suspended for, but it was still good to Zetterberg kick his butt!!

Mr. Hockey (not verified)

at 16:52 on June 1st, 2009

Dude, Zetterberg lost his ass.

He hit Talbot which was uncalled for. If Ozzie was mad he got pushed, he should have fought himself.

gpdahl (not verified)

at 06:26 on June 2nd, 2009

You use the screen name Mr. Hockey and you don't even know that goalies never have to defend themselves. I used to be a defenseman (hacker leagues) and if someone touched our goalie, he paid the price.

It's one of those unwritten rules of hockey.

puck you (not verified)

at 19:38 on June 1st, 2009

the nhl didnt' suspend ovechkin when he had that knee-on-knee to gonchar. so really it would have been unfair to suddenly start enforcing the rules now, in the stanley cup finals.

Completely Forgettably Incredible (not verified)

at 12:25 on June 2nd, 2009

Even without landing a punch Zetterberg won.

Malkin received an instigator penalty in the last few minutes of the game, something that normally means you get to take a time-out because you can't play well with others.

Malkin landed the first punch. Followed it with a stick and a punch before Zetterberg faced him. Z may have hit Malkin once. But if we're scoring this like Boxing I believe Z wins because he put, or helped the hay-maker flaying, Malkin on the ice.

In hockey messing with the goalie is like in football messing with the quarterback. You don't do it as a rule and if you do there are a few guys who will be angry.

Of course we stupid Americans don't understand hockey well.

Billy Bob (not verified)

at 11:15 on June 4th, 2009

Well look who just had a three point night in Game 3. If it isn't my buddy Malkin! Lets put it this way: if the Pens come back to win, we will know the NHL helped them. Bettman, get out of bed with Crosby & take a look at what your league is becoming! Ya, maybe more Americans are watching because the Pens have been to do whatever they want, but @ some point this bullshit is gonna catch up to you. This is a joke. The NHL has shown no interest in suspending anyone on the Pens but if Crosby claims that someone came within 5 feet of him they are sitting. Disgraceful!!!

Its simple guys. Gary Bettman needs to be fired. Hes a complete moron who is totally biased & will do whatever he can to help the Shitguns. It is totally unfair to other teams who want to play hard but also get a fair chance to win. Right now that isnt happening; the Wings got gipped after Game 2! This has gone on all season, guys like Avery are getting 6 game bans for playground talk but superstars like Malkin swing their stick & CLEARLY instigate fights & get nothing. FIRE BETTMAN!! YOU HAVE SCREWED UP THIS LEAGUE!!!!

Jeff the Penguins Fan (not verified)

at 13:58 on June 6th, 2009

I'm a Penguins fan and it's a shame that the NHL allows stuff like this to happen. I'm glad that Malkin was there for Game 3, but I have to side with the...."Yeah, you can mock the NHL and Bettman for bias towards the Penguins [it's what the losers tend to do *winkwink*], but really, it's a league-wide issue when you don't suspend everyone for everything that deserves suspension. I mean, a sucker-punch gets only a small fine? Get your heads out of your butts"-kinda school.