The New York Rangers left no doubt they were displeased Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson received a $5,000 fine but no suspension for roughing Pavel Buchnevich during Monday's contest and no punishment for slamming Artemi Panarin to the ice, an incident that knocked Panarin out for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.
Players didn't wait to address the matter on Wednesday.
Immediately from the first faceoff, Washington and New York starters dropped their gloves for brawls:
3 FIGHTS OFF THE FACEOFF!!!!!!#ALLCAPS #NYR
— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) May 5, 2021
@NHLonNBCSports pic.twitter.com/RWWY9waLD0
Wilson, the man of the hour, saw his first bareknuckle battle almost as soon as his skates hit the ice:
#NYR Brendan Smith vs #ALLCAPS Tom Wilson
— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) May 5, 2021
@NHLonNBCSports pic.twitter.com/zFFFLPhG6y
The punches were interrupted for a couple of minutes of actual hockey until:
#NYR Anthony Bitetto vs #ALLCAPS Michael Raffl
— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) May 5, 2021
@NHLonNBCSports pic.twitter.com/KBoysddVmd
Broadcasters barely had time for commercial breaks between fights:
#NYR Ryan Strome vs #ALLCAPS Lars Eller
— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) May 5, 2021
@NHLonNBCSports pic.twitter.com/Q4sZjINQPm
Rangers center Ryan Strome said on Tuesday it was "a joke" the NHL Department of Player Safety hit Wilson with only a fine but no ban for his actions on Monday. "I think it sends a bad message, in my opinion," Strome told reporters. "I think everyone pretty much agrees with that. I just think that the league missed one here big-time. It's unfortunate our best player is out for the rest of the year."
While the Capitals are competing to win the NHL East Division regular-season title, the Rangers have been eliminated from the playoffs and are playing mostly for pride:
— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) May 5, 2021
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 5, 2021
As commentators said on multiple occasions, Wednesday's scenes could and likely would have been avoided had the NHL suspended Wilson for at least a handful of games.
I've watched a lot of games after a player wasn't suspended, and there's a team looking for frontier justice. That player gets jumped, they have their fight. Maybe he has another one later.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) May 5, 2021
This isn't that. This is the Rangers adding a coda to their statement to the NHL.
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