Lucic received a match-penalty ejection with 1:19 remaining in the third period after he charged across the ice and leveled San Jose’s Logan Couture, who had previously hit Lucic.
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National Hockey League will look at Lucic match penalty, to review the automatic suspension, and will nearly certainly take a look at Brown hit. And Lucic didn’t think he deserved a match penalty – was the officials’ call over the top in this case?
This hit caused a few people to wonder if Brown would be suspended or fined for his actions.
And just prior to impact, Lucic picked Couture up on his radar screen.
Couture addressed the incident with Lucic following the game, saying, “I didn’t think there were players that you’re not allowed to hit in this league”. As the picture below demonstrates, Couture’s posture was in a relatively upright position as he delivered a legal hip check to the midsection of Lucic.
Lucic said the comment was relayed to him before Thursday morning’s practice. I didn’t appreciate the play….
Couture didn’t offer much of a comment about the play after the game.
Kings coach Darryl Sutter disagreed with the match penalty, as did Lucic.
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The extended timeline between the initial body check and the ultimate attack by Lucic on Couture demonstrates a premeditated act and potentially an intent to injure his opponent. The department of player safety then determined further punishment was not warranted and Lucic is free to join Brown and the rest of the Kings to play in Friday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. It’s like anything, like a schoolyard or anything, you’ve got to stand up for yourself when the time is right. “Whatever. It just adds fuel to the fire for the upcoming games”. If this was 10 years ago and a play like that happened and it was 5-1, it would be a lot messier. “Just a little hit”, he said.
