In early December, the Winnipeg Jets beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 in a game that quickly turned violent. Neal Pionk hit Rasmus Sandin, injuring him for several weeks, and Jason Spezza retaliated with a check to the head of Pionk, which garnered a 6 game suspension from the NHL, which was later reduced to 4 games. Fans of both teams knew that when these teams were to meet again, sparks would fly.
Like expected, the Leafs and Jets game got slightly out of hand. This time, the Leafs beat down the Jets, with a 7-3 victory. The Leafs came into the game dressing both Wayne Simmonds and Kyle Clifford in anticipation of a rough game. As soon as the game began, the Jets were in flight with some dirty hits.
Paul Stastny delivers a forceful check to the head of Justin Holl as he fell to the ice. Holl falls backwards, with his helmet almost snapping off. Holl was assessed a penalty for closing his hand on the puck.
Saving the worst for last, Ville Heinola delivered an egregious and unprompted cross check to the face of Michael Bunting. Essentially the same play that Matthews was suspended two games for, Heinola was not penalized in this game.
Another prime showing of officiating in the NHL. The Jets were heavily penalized on the night, but not nearly to the extent they should have been, and the NHL Department of Player Safety will not be reviewing any of the several illegal plays.
