Patrick Roy Blasts Mikko Rantanen After Game Between Islanders and Stars
New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy was involved in a tense moment in the recent game against the Dallas Stars, directing an angry criticism at forward Mikko Rantanen, who was ejected from the game for an action that injured Islanders defenseman Alex Romanov. The play occurred in the last minute of regulation time, when Rantanen, after contact with Scott Mayfield, pushed Romanov, causing him to crash into the boards. Romanov had to be helped off the ice, although it was later reported that he did not require hospitalization. Rantanen received a 5-minute major penalty for dangerous play, which led to his automatic ejection. The forward is the Stars’ top scorer, with 27 points in 20 games. During Rantanen’s exit from the game, the microphones picked up Roy yelling at him, apparently referring to a possible rematch between both teams later in the season.Roy expressed that he hoped Romanov would recover and added that this type of action should not be part of the game. The NHL’s Player Safety Department will review the incident to determine potential additional sanctions. For his part, Dallas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan offered a different perspective on the play, suggesting that Mayfield may have caused Rantanen’s imbalance, and hoping for Romanov’s quick recovery. Rantanen’s ejection was part of a game-ending filled with drama. Dallas apparently tied the score with a goal by Wyatt Johnston, but the video review by the NHL determined that Jason Robertson interfered with goalie David Rittich, nullifying the goal. The Stars captain, Jamie Benn, who was returning from an injury, commented on the call from Toronto, acknowledging that they couldn’t do anything about it.Rantanen’s hit was disrespectful to his team.
Patrick Roy
