The NHL playoffs have been thrilling to watch, and the American Hockey League playoffs are well under way. The competition for the Calder Cup has been exactly the same. See what happened in game two of the Central Division finals between the Milwaukee Admirals and the Grand Rapids Griffins if you need evidence of this.
Admirals left winger Zach L'Heureux outmuscled the Griffins defender and beat goaltender Sebastian Cossa on a shorthanded breakaway late in the second period, with the Griffins trailing 2-0. L'Heureux broke the twine, skated back towards Cossa, removed his mouthpiece, and, standing in front of the Griffins goalie, began verbally abusing him. As if that wasn't frustrating enough for the Griffins to go through. L'Heureux was given a two-minute unsportsmanlike penalty for his attempts and skated straight to the penalty box.
Although it might have seemed at first that L'Heureux's efforts were pointless, they were completely innocuous. Whether you agree with it or not, he was entitled to celebrate the goal however he pleased, and what harm could he have caused by openly making fun of the goaltender when he didn't physically harm anyone?
The unsportsmanlike penalty exists for a reason, and while it's frequently used correctly, sometimes it's given in an unexpected way. How do you feel? Was the penalty for unsportsmanship warranted?
