Referees screw the Maple Leafs out of a powerplay

Michael Bunting has a reputation around the NHL amongst referees. That reputation is obviously not a positive one. But tonight the referees may have gone too far to prove their point.

During the 2nd period of tonight's pivotal Game 4 Michael Bunting was on the receiving end of a high stick from Eetu Luostarinen. The referees had no issue calling the high stick, but that's where things got strange.


Everyone knows that when a player is cut that the offending player draws blood, they are then awarded a double minor. On the play Bunting was clearly cut, but the referees weren't having any of it.



There are a lot of subjective penalties, but a bleeding player is not one of them. This is a very odd decision, that can't be made in such an important game for both teams.