League investigating post-Game 5 actions by Phoenix Coyotes -NHL Update
Being eliminated in an intense playoff series is never easy, but Phoenix Coyotes just lost control after Game 5 of the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Western Conference Playoff Finals as they did some things which they certainly regret now.
Despite the apologising by Phoenix Coyotes’ captain, Shane Doan, just a day earlier, the league has begun investigating what the was the cause of some of the uncalled for actions and even allegations levelled by the players from the team being eliminated.
It was after Kings’ Dustin Penner’s overtime game-winner in Game 5 Tuesday, May 22, that some Phoenix players responded in an unusual and unprofessional manner as termed by the league. Martin Hanzal was seen going after the referee’s in an aggressive manner
while Keith Yandle even alleged that most calls by the officials were against them in every way.
Mike Smith also threw his goalie stick after losing the match and Shane Doan was noticed to not have shown professional ethic during the handshake session after the game between the two games.
"Their actions were unprofessional and unacceptable," NHL’s executive vice president Colin Campbell told ESPN.com on Thursday.
The most that is to come out of this investigation are warning and most possibly fines against the players involved. Los Angeles Kings general manager, Dean Lombardi, came out on Friday and alleged Phoenix players of inciting the fans in the Jobing.com Arena
against the visiting club.
European Courts set an example when they blamed the players for inciting soccer fans, something Dean Lombardi explained during his interview with the Los Angeles Times.
"What the courts said was that because the players attacked the officials -- because the players showed such disrespect for the officials -- that incited the crowd," Lombardi told the Times. "They blamed the players. Because those players were conducting
themselves like that, it incited the crowd.”
Showing a lack of respect to the NHL officials, inciting fans and acting in an unprofessional manner towards the other team are just some things the league has come to know of. Looking at the entire series just might bring out a few more surprises as well.
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