Dan Vladar punches Sebastian Aho with his blocker, but the referee refuses to call it
Late in the 3rd period of yesterday game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames, goaltender Dan Vladar was able to escape ejection. After Sebastian Aho crashed directly into Vladar, Vladar turned and punched Ago with his blocker. Despite this being a rarely called rule, a player who throws a bunch with their blocking glove is subject to a match penalty.
The NHL rule book states that a match penalty can be awarded:
If, in the judgment of the referee, a goalkeeper uses his blocking glove to punch an opponent in the head or face in an attempt to or to deliberately injure an opponent, a match penalty must be assessed.
This is a rule that rarely gets enforced by officials, who never want to punish goalies for things skaters face consistent punishment for.
On the play Vladar wasn't assessed even a roughing penalty, while Aho and Andrew Mangiapane both received 2 minute minors for roughing. The Hurricane went onto win the game 3-2.
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