Fans react to Bruins player accidentally slashing referee
The Boston Bruins got off to a tough start yesterday, losing their first game to the reigning Stanley Cup champions by a score of 6-4 in a wild affair.
From the get-go, the game was an absolutely thrilling affair. The game started off with the traditional ring ceremony, commemorating the 2024 Stanley Cup Champions. One can only assume that it set the stage for a heated tilt, as the season opener looked like the the first round of the playoffs.
According to Liam McCormick of Oilers Daily, ones clearly meant to give a hard slash towards Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues, but he instead made direct contact with a referee. The ref seriously winced in pain, and Jones was given an unsportsmanlike penalty. Jones checked up on the ref immediately after, but he still had to serve his deserved penalty. The NHL needs to protect its referees at all costs and even from errant sticks, so perhaps Player Safety even looks at this play.
Of course, this brain fart by Matt Jones sparked quite a bit of controversy on social media. Hockey fans around the NHL didn't hold back as they let Matt Jones have it.
As per The Hockey Beast, Jones was, of course, handed a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The Panthers didn't take advantage of the following powerplay, but Evan Rodrigues scored 6 minutes into the third period to make it a 6-2 game.
The Bruins were ultimately edged out by the Bruins by a score of 6-4, and the reigning Stanley Cup champs seem to be feeling to no ill effect from the "Stanley Cup Hangover". Although it was an accidental slash by Jones, fans around the league are calling for a suspension.
| POLL | ||
Should Matt Jones get suspended for slashing the referee? | ||
| Yes | 18 | 64.3 % |
| No | 10 | 35.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
