Ryan Johansen, what were you thinking?
The Predators forward let his emotions get the better of him during Friday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. With Vancouver leading 2-1 midway through the third period, Johansen decided to spear Canucks blue liner Erik Gudbranson.
Take a look for yourself:
Ryan Johansen with an illegal move on Gudbranson. pic.twitter.com/hVWSnan9s3
— Dan Riccio (@danriccio_) March 3, 2018
Johansen received a five-minute major and a game misconduct as a result of the play.
Edler going after Johansen after he gives Gudbranson a shot to the Gudbransons. He'll sit for five. Sutter sits for two. pic.twitter.com/AVpbsDORJ2
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 3, 2018
As you might remember, Johansen openly complained about Ducks forward Ryan Kesler spearing him after Game 2 of last spring’s Western Conference Final.
“He just blows my mind, I don’t know what’s going through his head out there,” Johansen said of Kesler at the time, per Sportsnet. “His family and friends watching him play, I don’t know how you cheer for a guy like that.
“It just doesn’t make sense how he plays the game. I’m just trying to go out there and play hockey, and it sucks when you have to pull a stick out of your groin after every shift.”
Oh, how the tables have turned.
By the way, Daniel Sedin scored on the ensuing power play, but Nashville still managed to win the game, 4-3, in overtime.
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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.