Flyers’ Rinaldo avoids discipline for blindside hit

Mike Halford

Feb 29, 2012, 5:05 PM EDT

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According to Sportsnet’s John Shannon, Philadelphia rookie Zac Rinaldo won’t face additional discipline for a heavy check on San Jose’ T.J. Galiardi during Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to the Sharks.

The hit in question:

The Sharks were less than pleased with the hit, which temporarily knocked Galiardi out of action (he didn’t play another shift in the first period and returned with six minutes gone in the second).

“We thought there was a hit on Galiardi that was a blindside hit there was no call on,” San Jose interim head coach Matt Shaw told CSN Bay Area. “That’s something we hope the league looks into just to make sure the rules are being implemented as they would want them to be.”

It’s not surprising San Jose wanted the league to look at the hit, especially given Rinaldo’s reputation and history. Rinaldo was given a two-game suspension in Feb. 12 for charging Detroit’s Jonathan Ericsson and has been fined twice — each to the tune of $2500 — for tripping New Jersey’s Zach Parise and a late hit on Jacob Josefson.