There was an odd scene in Minnesota on Tuesday night, as Wild forward Charlie Coyle received a five-minute major penalty for elbowing Calgary Flames center Matt Stajan.
Coyle didn’t receive a game misconduct, which often comes with a major penalty. Stajan’s reaction - some might say embellishment - was also immortalized in GIF form by video editor CJ Folger:
If you’re in the “Stajan should get an Oscar” camp, at least the power play didn’t pay off for Calgary. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Michael Russo points out that the Wild somehow held the Flames to zero shots on a five-minute man advantage.
To add one more layer of oddness to the situation, beat writers for opposing teams hold opposing viewpoints.
Russo’s injury update drips with sarcasm:Matt Stajan is fine and starting the third period for the #flames... Brushed off the elbow to the head that wasn’t an elbow to the head
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) February 27, 2013On the other hand, the Calgary Sun’s Randy Sportak thinks it was a bad check.
Hit by Coyle on Stajan should be a suspension - late & he lunged upward into the jaw. “Finishing the check” is a late, dirty hit.
— Randy Sportak (@SUNRandySportak) February 27, 2013Either way, it makes for a mesmerizing GIF, doesn’t it?