Some quick thoughts from the NHL on TSN panel on Tuesday night.
The last time the Los Angeles Kings advanced to the Stanley Cup Final was in 1993, and in the deciding game of the Western Conference Final, there was a rather famous non-call on their captain.
Almost 20 years later, the Kings once again find themselves in the Final after another non-call following Dustin Brown's knee-on-knee hit on Michal Rozsival in overtime after the whistle had sounded on an offside call.
Rozsival was injured on the play and the Coyotes were rattled by it. Seconds later the game, and series was over when Dustin Penner beat Mike Smith.
Coyotes' fans will want to know why there wasn't a penalty on the hit and if Brown will get a suspension, so let's break down what happened.
Based on recent National Hockey League history, I don't believe league will view the hit as a knee-on-knee hit as much as a body check with incidental leg-on-leg contact.
While Brown went into hit Rozsival with wide stance, his track never deviated from straight line and upper body contact was made, so it was not a classic knee. Because of that fact, I'd be shocked if he was suspended for the play.
With that said, could Brown have pulled up on the hit because it was off-side or was there no time for him to lay off?
In other words, was it a bang-bang play or a knowing free shot?
That last question was my first concern when I saw the hit and I thought the referees may have or should have penalized the play for that reason, but they thought otherwise.