You don’t see head coaches ejected from NHL games very often. Then again, you don’t see players deliver two controversial hits in the same shift like Anton Stralman did, either.
Winnipeg Jets bench boss Paul Maurice was the guy who got that rare misconduct for a coach following Stralman’s two big hits.
He explained his passionate responses after the game - as well as his concern regarding a possible injury for Winnipeg forward Bryan Little - as you can see in the two tweets below:
Maurice: "I was upset because you work with these guys every day and you care about them and their wives and their families." #NHLJets 1/2
— Ted Wyman (@Ted_Wyman) February 19, 2016
2/2 from Maurice: "Little is getting neck x-rayed and I seem to be more concerned about the result of that hit than anyone else." #NHLJets
— Ted Wyman (@Ted_Wyman) February 19, 2016
Here are two videos that capture the moment(s), via Sportsnet, CBS’ Eye on Hockey and the Hockey Beat:
#GottaSeeIt - Bryan Little gets caught with a rough hit and head coach Paul Maurice is penalized for losing his coolhttps://t.co/pW7ETqveXD
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 19, 2016
That sequence was probably the most memorable moment of that game, but it certainly wasn’t the only dramatic one. The Jets stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to make a game of this one, yet the Tampa Bay Lightning ultimately won 6-5 via a shootout.