Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz briefly exited Friday’s season opener after taking a hit that resulted in a major penalty and a game misconduct for St. Louis Blues defenseman Brandon Carlo.
Early in the third period, Hintz skated into the St. Louis zone and attempted to streak past Carlo, who put a hit on Hintz that resulted in the players’ knees banging together at high speed. Hintz was sent sprawling and stayed down on the ice, soon receiving assistance from training staff and requiring help to skate off the ice and down the Stars’ tunnel. He later returned to the Stars bench and re-entered the game.
Carlo was escorted to the penalty box by the game’s officials and, after a brief video review, was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct.
The NHL rules state that “a major [penalty] plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player who recklessly endangers an opponent as the result of kneeing,” with kneeing defined as, “the act of a player leading with or extending their knee outward for the purpose of making contact.”