In the third period of Friday night's victory over the Nashville Predators, Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks wanted to free the puck from defenseman Jonathon Blum deep in the Predators zone.
His tactic of choice? A stomp on top of Blum's skate. Which did, in fact, free the puck.
The question now becomes, "At what cost?" Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the NHL is looking at the play with regard to supplemental discipline, as no penalty was called on the play. Ryan had two goals in the Ducks' 5-3 victory to even the series at 1-1.
From reader Chris in Hermosa Beach, who spotted the stomp:
"Unbelievable- that should clearly be a suspension for at least one game, as I remember a couple years back the league coming down hard on a player for stomping on someone."
That player was former Duck Chris Pronger, whose stomp on Ryan Kesler in 2008 earned him an eight-game suspension:
Obviously, two very different plays, especially since Pronger stomped the leg with Kesler on the ice while Ryan stepped on the top of the skate during a battle for the puck.
Does Ryan deserve anything from the NHL for this? We don't really see an intent to injure. But the League has shown a rather low tolerance for dangerous plays involving skates or sticks in the past.