MONTREAL, QC. — Interim disciplinarian Stephane Quintal and the folks at the NHL’s department of Player Safety will be looking at two incidents stemming from Tuesday’s night’s game that will surely lead to announcements of supplementary discipline for Rangers’ players.
Halfway through the third period with the Canadiens leading 5-4, Rangers defenseman John Moore was assessed a match penalty for elbowing Dale Weise. The blind side hit by Moore was late, targeted the head as the principal point of contact and included a follow through with his elbow.
Weise was aided to the bench by teammate P.K. Subban as he staggered to find his footing. Weise spent time in the quiet room, then returned late in the third period.
The hit by Moore was far more flagrant then one delivered by Brandon Prust on Derek Stepan for which the Canadiens winger was suspended for two games.
Rangers defenseman John Moore will have a hearing Wednesday for an Illegal Check to the Head of Montreal forward Dale Weise.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 28, 2014
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that a Moore was scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday.
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault seemed resigned to the fact that further discipline is on its way for Moore saying, “The league will do what it has to do. I think he was penalized on the ice. John is definitely not the type of player to try to hurt someone, but it was a late hit and it was the right call on the ice.”
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien added, “I thought it was the right call on the ice. We all saw it. We all saw it on the ice and saw the different angle on the TV after the game. They’ll decide what they’re going to do after.”
The NHL is also expected to look at the head-butt by Rangers’ forward Derek Dorsett on Canadiens defenseman Mike Weaver.