The Department of Player Safety has some work to do today, as Kevin Labanc of the San Jose Sharks will have a hearing to determine supplementary discipline for his slew foot of Tyler Bozak last night.
Labanc received a two-minute minor for tripping on the play, which happened partway through the first period. Bozak appeared to escape serious injury.
Slew-footing has been a point of note with fans around the league this season, with P.K. Subban at the center of several incidents that resulted in injury. While Subban has only received fines to this point, a hearing suggests that Labanc will receive at least a one-game suspension.
For his part, the Sharks forward told Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group that it was not intentional and he was “just trying to battle hard.”
It was an ugly dirty play, but if he gets a game PK should get 5 + 5 for repeat offender.
@waterdog311 – We all wish it were that easy. It seems that DoPS thinks that PK doing it constitutes a hockey play, but anybody else doing it makes it a dangerous move, worthy of suspension. Unfortunately, on that Twitter page, the video is 17 seconds and doesn’t have the few seconds prior to Labanc falling. When he does, it could be seen as (possibly) intentionally raising his legs to do as much damage to Bozak as he can. Or, Sharks fans will say “incidental contact.” Either way, we can’t see what caused Labanc’s tumble in the first place. But, I’m *sure* GP will get this one right. (Stop laughing before you have to go to your clinic to get your ribs taped up!)