With 2:39 left in the 2nd period the Rangers J.T. Miller tried to pull a puck past Ondrej Pavelec but was unable to do so. As Miller was falling to the ice he gave Pavelec a slash to the pads while aiming for the puck in front of defenceman Dustin Byfuglien who, in turn, delivered a pretty vicious cross-check to the neck of the Rangers forward.
Photo Credit: Devon Eadie
While Byfuglien didn’t speak to the media following the Jets 3-2 loss, Rangers bench boss Alain Vigneault didn’t hold back when asked in the post-game scrum about the hit. He called it “Violent. Deliberate. Could have broken his neck. I don’t know what is going to happen but it was one of the most viscous cross-checks I’ve seen this year.”
Here is the video of the hit:
What do you think? Will or should #33 receive a call from the NHL Department of Player Safety? Interestingly referee Dan O’Rourke was right behind Byfuglien and didn’t call a penalty on the play. What do you think?
Update: The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Dustin Byfuglien will have a hearing for his hit on Miller on Thursday. It will be a phone hearing for #33 at 10:30 am. Since it is a phone hearing the most Byfuglien could be suspended is five games. (18.8 of the CBA).
