In last night’s game between the Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings, Devin Setoguchi completed a direct cross-check to the face of Kyle Quincey. The hit itself happened in the middle of the ice with Quincey stepping up on Setoguchi, who was trying to move the puck up through the neutral zone.
The last replay in the above video gives a good view of what both players were likely thinking. Quincey comes in with his forearms ready to try and give Devin a good old forearm-shiver. Setoguchi sees this coming and immediately raises his stick at Quincey’s face. The stick plants right in the kisser, leaving him bleeding and requiring twenty stitches to repair the damage. The play seems like a bang-bang play, but you can tell on the slow motion review just how dirty the play was. Setoguchi only received a four minute penalty.
Now comes the question, should this be looked at by the league?
My gut reaction is that Setoguchi should be suspended for a complete disregard of his stick, and with the intent to hurt. A straight cross check to the face like that is not only not a hockey play, but it is a complete lack of respect for another player on the ice. For lack of better terms, it was a pussy play from a player who was scared to take a hit.
My thoughts on the league’s reaction: The play will not get any disciplinary action. The league might actually have a case in that instance if you stop, sit down, and think about it.
Quincey bent his knees to explode through the check, and while that works most of the time, this time he got a face full of stick. Devin raised his arms to about chest level with his stick being the protective barrier between him and the other player. It just so happened that because Quincey bent down a little bit that the stick now became at his face level rather than chest level. Setoguchi should have received a high sticking penalty, which he did.
Reactions vary on this play and some Red Wings fans may have taken it even more personally if it was a higher caliber player than Kyle Quincey. Whichever way you feel, this play is not suspendable and was just an unlucky incident for both players.
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Photo Credit: Gonepuckwild.com
