Garland and McD's tangle didn't started with Garland. McD was literally on top of Garland for 5-6 seconds, Garland finally got up and happily returned the favor.
As for Hughes watch out or whatever, well in last playoffs McDavid basically speared Hughes in the face and got away with it. Other teams are already pulling all kinds of shit against our guys because they know the response will be pathetic, and our powerplay is laughable, so there's very little incentive not to.
I PVR'd the game. I have watched it several times.
McD did what Pettersson does all the time, a reverse hit, Garland going for the puck and a reverse hit.
Upon contact Garland grabs a hold of McD's left arm and puts it in an arm bar, then clamps both legs around McD's legs for 5 or 6 seconds after the "arm bar" rolls McD over, once McD extricates himself Garland puts a bear hug on him and pulls him down and over then leans on top of him holding him down. That's not hockey, that's not even being a "shadow". It desperation. Win at all costs.
Okay lets take the "he deserved it shit", anytime a player holds the puck s much as he does there are likely 4 or 5 times a games they are slashed, hooked or interfered with, they are too good for the rest.
This game the ref's were one sided and biased, Boeser clearly picked a player almost putting him on his ass, neither had the puck, this led to a goal, Pettersson yanked Nurse's feet out from under him putting him out of position, this led to a goal, neither were called and both were blatant.
Face up to it, if the names were changed to Brown instead of Garland, Hughes instead of McDavid, Podkolzin instead of Boeser and Hyman instead of Pettersson and Hronek instead of Nurse the posts here would be 5 times bigger and longer.
With names changed;
McDavid scores when Hyman takes Hronek's feet out from him in a clear trip, Hyman even drops his stick and throws his hands up, McDavid scores again when Podkolzin knocks down a Canuck penalty killer and McDavid skates past into the hole made and scores a goal, in the last minute Brown tackles Hughes and holds him down for 12 seconds and the refs don't blow the whistle. Then after Hughes gets up he cross checks Brown. Off to the side Nurse has given Hronek a stiff body check after the whistle and then a few seconds later an unprovoked cross check to the mouth.
All the same stuff with the names reversed. These events happened.
There is nothing I am saying justifies anything,but it does suggest that a nuclear deterrent is needed in hockey. Can't count on the refs or whistles to police the game when seconds can count.
As far as what will happen to Myers and McDavid, be prepared for Myers to get extra.
McDavid was provoked, this has influenced outcomes before, where Myers was not even close, Bouchard and him had not had incidents prior to Myers late hit, a mutual slash and then Myers cross check.
Right or wrong some fans might remember when D. Sedin got hit with a flying elbow and the puck was no where near him or unplayable 8 feet over his head, a previous incident was used to mitigate the suspension as being provoked. That is one that I can remember easily.
They got 2 points but it changed nothing, they are still not in the WC2 spot and now will have a lot of teams targeting Canuck star players because that IS something other players will look at as cheap and dirty.