Worst Match penalty/Major ever called (Cizikas NYI)

[Chaos]

Exactly why I think the reviews on these should come entirely from Toronto and no reviews should be made by the on ice crew in the game

This 100%

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Cizikas was not making a play on the puck at all

He swings his stick and barely misses the puck. Again I think it's in that grey area so I can understand someone thinking that doesn't really constitute trying to play the puck. For me, with two players heading into the corner I think he was expecting contact.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Can someone explain to me why in the NHL you can’t hit anymore and need to play the puck? Why is there any mention of “not making a play for the puck”

 

[luiginb]

Awww look at Dumba trying to make himself look like a useful player in 2025, so cute

 

[HFBS]

The most embarrassing thing here is that all the islander fans calling it the worst major call of all time.

That would be a 75 game suspension for Rempe.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Can someone explain to me why in the NHL you can’t hit anymore and need to play the puck? Why is there any mention of “not making a play for the puck”

The part about playing the puck is relevant to Bischel, not to Cizikas. It’s illegal to hit someone who hasn’t touched the puck.

 

[Chaos]

Awww look at Dumba trying to make himself look like a useful player in 2025, so cute

Spoiler alert, he isn’t

 

[Mattb124]

The box score just says “match” without elaborating. There are some technical differences between 5+game and match penalties, but the bottom line is the same: a major power play, ejection, and disciplinary review. If it hadn’t been called a hit to the head, it was a clear-cut interference major+game based on the rule quoted above.

The ref explicitly stated the match penalty was due to an “illegal hit to the head” following the video review.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

The part about playing the puck is relevant to Bischel, not to Cizikas. It’s illegal to hit someone who hasn’t touched the puck.

It’s there for both players, Cizikas can take the body. If you’re skating straightaway and someone passes it through your feet your allowed to hit the player even if his stick didn’t receive the pass.