Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin was briefly injured on the ice, with a bloody nose and feeling a bit disoriented after a hit to the face from Alex Pietrangelo.
Pietrangelo’s forceful swing while they were both against the boards was a response from the Vegas Golden Knights to Seguin, who had earlier in the same period received a penalty for an illegal hit to the head of Shea Theodore.
However, this retaliation proved costly for the reigning Stanley Cup champion Knights, as they suddenly found themselves trailing in the opening-round series for the first time. Jason Robertson capitalized on the ensuing power play, scoring the go-ahead goal in the Stars’ 3-2 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
“He’s a leader on this team. Playoffs are an emotional time, and it’s a revved-up environment,” said Knights defenseman Alec Martinez about Pietrangelo. “You can’t win without emotion either, but you have to keep it in check.”
Pietrangelo did not speak to the media after the game.
“A veteran guy should know better. We didn’t like the hit on Theodore by Seguin, it was quite obvious he left his feet and targeted the head,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “You’re going to be upset, but that’s playoff hockey. You’ve got to find a way to channel it. … We have to take care of our discipline. Just have to, it’s that simple.”
After securing victories in the first two games away from home, the Knights are heading back to Las Vegas with the pressure to win to keep their title defense alive. Game 6 is set for Friday night in Las Vegas.
Seguin clarified that he didn’t have any intention of making a headshot at Theodore when they collided about eight minutes into the second period.
“Every game is physical. Playoffs is a different type of game. You want to be engaged and physical, but in regards to that hit you’re talking about, there’s no intention by me,” Seguin said. “I’m not, I don’t see myself as a dirty player. … I wasn’t trying to hit his head or anything.”
When asked about Pietrangelo’s intentions during their tangle about 7 1/2 minutes later, Seguin responded, “I don’t know. It’s part of hockey, I guess.”
Initially, officials called major penalties against both Seguin and Pietrangelo. However, both penalties were downgraded to two-minute minors after a replay review.
“A lot was going on in the game. There was a lot of emotions both ways,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “Some questionable hits, not questionable hits. … It’s all about managing it. You’re not going to get all those calls to go your way. And, you know, I thought our group managed the emotions of the game well.”
