Travis Green didn’t hide his anger Thursday, blasting the officials and the league over Taylor Hall’s two-minute minor for a headshot on Jake Sanderson.
Green couldn't believe the play wasn't reviewed. What made it worse is that the same referees reviewed Brady Tkachuk's play earlier in the night, a hit Green found far less concerning.
"They didn't review the play," Green said. A clear headshot, in his view, that should have been a five-minute major.
Green also confirmed the obvious. Sanderson left the game because of the Hall hit, not because of the shot he blocked with his hand earlier.
That clarification matters. It tells you exactly what the Senators coach is asking the league to look at. The head contact. Nothing else.
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Ottawa now waits on Player Safety with the series on life support
The Department of Player Safety will get their turn.
Green said he hopes the league takes a hard look at Hall's hit and hands down supplementary discipline before Game 4.
Nothing has come out yet. That's the part every Senators fan is refreshing their phone over this weekend.
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A hearing would change the math of this series. No hearing keeps it exactly where it is.
Ottawa is down 0-3 against Carolina and staring at elimination on Saturday. Losing Sanderson makes a comeback nearly impossible.
The 23-year-old blue-liner posted 54 points with a plus-16 rating during the regular season.
But even a major penalty wouldn't have saved this game. Ottawa's power play has to actually convert, and the numbers in this series have not been flattering.
Is a coach publicly pressuring the league the right move at 0-3? It's the only move. Green has nothing to lose and a star defender to defend.
Hall's value to Carolina is real. The 34-year-old has 3 points in 3 games during the series and has been one of Rod Brind'Amour's most dangerous veterans. Losing him would hurt the Canes too.
The silence from the league is its own answer for now.
Ottawa fans will watch every tweet and every update until something breaks. Saturday's game drops into a lot of uncertainty.
Should Taylor Hall face supplementary discipline from the NHL for the headshot on Jake Sanderson?
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Tkachuk under fire after controversial hit on Martinook sparks outrage
