The Dallas Stars had gotten themselves out to a 2-0 lead against the Chicago Blackhawks Sunday evening at the United Center despite being out-shot pretty handily. As can be the case, Chicago came storming back in the first period and after Patrick Kane made it 2-1, Stars defenseman Jordie Benn helped give the Blackhawks another opening with a rather comical penalty.
With his defensive partner Jason Demers circling to the back of the net, Benn went to give him an outlet in the corner, but on his way there, he gave Marian Hossa a quick stick check. The Blackhawks forward obviously wasn’t holding onto it all that tightly as he waited for the defender to set up the play. That allowed the stick to go flying high above the ice and into the protective netting over the glass.
GIF via Reddit Hockey:
Benn got an interference penalty on the play and Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad scored on the ensuing power play to tie the game.
It was kind of a marginal call there because Hossa should be holding onto his stick, but there was also no reason for Benn to do that stick check on the fly by. The fact that the stick went flying so high may have contributed to the penalty. It’s one of those things where everyone in the arena saw it, so the officials probably felt the need to call it. Maybe that call doesn’t get made if the game is in Dallas, though. Either way, it’s a pretty funny infraction.
Luckily for Benn, Stars forward Vernon Fiddler scored a late-period goal to put the Stars back in front.
