Dubinsky’s hit, no matter what Scuderi did prior to it, resulted in a head shot and that isn’t going to be ignored. The Sharks’ Desjardins deserved his penalty as well, no matter how many on here think it was clean. It wasn’t. The onus is on the hitter to avoid the hittee’s head in every instance.

1. Scuderi ducks really low at the last second, putting his head about even with the dasher board. If he doesn’t duck like that, Dubinsky could never have hit his head.

2. Dubinsky could have really drove him into the boards, but he doesn’t. He does deliver a small hit from behind, but he rolls out of the hit and doesn’t drive through it.

3. Scuderi slams on the breaks at the absolute last second, which may well have thrown off the timing of Dubinskys check.

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With all that said, its still on Dubinsky to not hit the guy in the numbers… but such plays happen all the time. If Scuderi doesn’t duck down and his head doesn’t hit the dasher…. there probably wouldn’t have even been a call on the play.