Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Report: NHL looking into Keith slash to Carter’s face

Anaheim Ducks v Chicago Blackhawks

CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 12: of the Chicago Blackhawks of the Anaheim Ducks at the United Center on February 12, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Jonathan Daniel

Controversy reared itself Tuesday, as the L.A. Kings took on the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of their Western Conference final.

Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith slashed Kings’ forward Jeff Carter in the face in the second period of what turned out to be a 3-1 win for L.A. on home ice. Keith was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking, but this incident has sparked debate about whether the speedy blue liner should be looking at supplementary discipline.

According to Dan Rosen of NHL.com, the league’s Department of Player Safety is looking into the incident, which occurred in the neutral zone, as the Keith and Carter were skating up ice.

Carter slashed Keith on the hand as Keith was trying to pick his glove up off the ice. Keith retaliated by whacking Carter in the face with a one-handed slash.

“Just a little scuffle. It was an accident. I was glad to see that he came back,” said Keith following the game, as per a tweet from Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago.

“It was accidental. I wanted to give him a tap but not where I got him. I felt bad,” he added, as per Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.

Carter did not speak to the media after the game, as he was getting dental work, according to Rosen.

“I didn’t think it was a four-minute penalty. Thought it was a wrong call,” Kings’ head coach Darryl Sutter told reporters.

“Retaliation. That’s three head injuries now in the playoffs for us. I don’t know how to answer it. It’s retaliation with a stick. It’s not a high stick. Whatever they want to call it, they’ll call it. Don’t even need video.”