Sidney Crosby gave the Pittsburgh Penguins the lead late in the third period and Brandon Sutter secured the win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
Crosby scored his 19th goal of the season with 6:03 left in regulation time to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead over the visiting Maple Leafs, before Sutter’s short-handed empty-net goal gave the Penguins a 3-1 victory, finishing off what was an eventful evening between the two teams.
Robert Bortuzzo got everybody talking with a high hit on Leafs forward Jerry D’Amigo in the third period.
D’Amigo was leaning forward to chip a puck up the wall with one hand on his stick, when he was planted to the ice by Bortuzzo, who stood up in the neutral zone, delivering a blow to the head in the process.
Bortuzzo was given a minor penalty for an illegal check to the head as a result.
Bernier and van Riemsdyk decline comment on the Bortuzzo hit. Phaneuf simply said he wasn't given an explanation on it.
— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) December 17, 2013
Carlyle pointed out Bortuzzo is taller than D'Amigo but declined further comment having not seen a replay.
— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) December 17, 2013
As per the NHL Department of Player Safety, the league will not be pursuing supplemental discipline on Bortuzzo.
“In looking at Bortuzzo/D’Amigo, we see unavoidable head contact on an otherwise full body hit,” stated the Department of Player Safety on Twitter.
Earlier in the night, the Penguins’ defenseman was on the receiving end of a hit from Leafs’ forward Troy Bodie in the corner.
Bortuzzo got up, grabbed Bodie and the two engaged in a fight in the Pittsburgh zone.
Penguins’ forward Jayson Megna also suffered a lower-body injury Monday and is “unlikely” to play Wednesday against the New York Rangers, as per the Penguins’ Twitter account.