Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann is facing a suspension after being given a match penalty early in the third period of Toronto’s win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Saturday saw the Leafs fall 2-1 to the Montreal Canadiens in a tightly contested game that ended in a shootout, in a wasted effort from rookie goaltender Dennis Hildeby.
Leafs bounce back against long-time Atlantic division rival
Morgan Rielly’s goal in the first period ended up being the game-winner as the Leafs held on for hard-fought, 2-0 win, marking Dennis Hildeby’s first career shutout.
Bobby McMann ejected, facing supplemental discipline
It wasn’t all good news for the Leafs on Monday night, however. Early in the third period, a scrum ensued at center ice following a knee-on-knee hit by Lightning forward Gage Goncalves on Mermis.
In the scrum, McMann engaged with Oliver Bjorkstrand, with Bjorkstrand striking McMann first. In retaliation, McMann let his emotions get the better of him, swinging his stick at Bjorkstrand, catching him in the head.
The play resulted in McMann receiving a match penalty and game misconduct, nullifying the Leafs’ five-minute power-play.
Not only did the Leafs lose McMann for the final 17 minutes of Monday’s game, but he could face a suspension depending on how the penalty was recorded. As per Rules 21 and 28, a player handed a match penalty for attempt to injure faces an indefinite suspension until a ruling is made by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
Whether McMann will face a suspension remains to be seen, but more often than not, players that are given match penalties are suspended for their next game.
Previously on Toronto Hockey Daily