Sharks' Patrick Marleau won't face discipline for hit that injured Rust
Marleau was penalized in Game 1 for an illegal check to the head
By
Chris Peters
•
2 min read
The San Jose Sharks won't have to worry about having to play without veteran forward Patrick Marleau going forward, despite his being penalized for an illegal hit to the head in Game 1. Marleau will not be suspended for the hit he delivered early in the third period that ended up knocking Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust out of the game, the Department of Player Safety confirmed Tuesday.
It was a borderline play from Marleau, who clearly made contact with Rust's head. The hit was not predatory, however. Considering that this is the Stanley Cup Final, too, it's probably going to take something massive to earn a suspension.
Rust has been listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury, which is unfortunate considering how well he has played. He has four goals over his last three games, including the Penguins' first goal in Game 1.
Here's a look at the hit again:
Marleau doesn't really change his body position and definitely intends to hit Rust here. As the Sharks forward said after the game, his intention was more to let Rust skate into him and separate him from the puck that way. Rust, however, had just dished off the puck and didn't anticipate the contact. As a result, Marleau's angle on the hit is thrown off.
Here is the official explanation from Player Safety:
(1/3) Dept of Player Safety determines no Supplemental Discipline is warranted for Patrick Marleau's hit on Bryan Rust in Game 1 of the SCF.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 31, 2016
(2/3) Main points of contact: shoulders, chest. Rust low, off-balance, reaching.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 31, 2016
(3/3) Marleau does not "pick" the head, elevate or extend. Head contact is with Marleau's back.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 31, 2016
So, basically, while Marleau did indeed catch Rust in the head, the department is saying it was not the main point of contact. Marleau definitely did not deliver a full body check on the play, but he also did not extend into Rust's head which is important.
Rule 48, which covers illegal checks to the head, gives the referees a lot of room to interpret the play which is why Marleau got a minor penalty. On this one, it looks like head contact was made because of Marleau's somewhat poor angle in delivering the hit rather than his targeting Rust. In the end, it looks like they got the call right on the ice with a minor penalty and the NHL is probably getting it right by not suspending Marleau for a Stanley Cup Final game based on how the rules are now.
There may come a time where the NHL takes an even harder line on head checks of all kinds, making it more black and white instead of leaving so much grey area. Marleau's hit was very much in that grey area, where there is head contact even if it's not the main point of contact. That's why he's breathing a little easier this morning.
