Photo: Nick Wass/AP/Shutterstock
A hard-fought win turned into a knock-out, drag-out fight on the ice Monday night.
When one of his teammates initiated a fight after a legal push in the second period, Garnet Hathaway stepped in to take on multiple Duck athletes. The scuffle behind the net mounted as refs struggled to separate the combatants.
As Hathaway was being held back, Erik Gudbranson of the Ducks’ defense appeared to grab Hathaway, connecting a punch to his opponent that was reciprocated with a projectile of spit that landed on Gudbranson.
After the match, Hathawaytold reportershe regretted the “emotional” response, saying it was out of character.
NHL.Rob Carr/Getty
Capitals vs. Ducks.Nick Wass/AP/Shutterstock
“I feel like there was a couple sucker punches thrown and I got one there quick, and then I reacted a little emotionally and, you know, unfortunately spit came out of my mouth after I got sucker punched and it went on to him,” he said.
Hathaway’s penalty will require an automatic review from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety or Hockey Operations Department, according to theWashington Post, and spitting has resulted in suspensions in the past.
“That’s about as low as you can dig a pit, really,” Gudbransonsaidabout the spitting after the match. “It’s a bad thing to do. It’s just something you don’t do in our game. And he did it.”
Capitals head coach Todd Reirden defended Hathaway, calling him a “stand-up,” “first-class guy” who made a poor decision in the heat of the moment.
The coach added: “He’s not happy about it. … He made a mistake.”
source: people.com
