Felger: Brandon Carlo had enough time to brace and protect himself
Brandon Carlo was boarded by Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn on Thursday night, which led to a controversial decision by the refs to reduce a 5-minute major penalty to a 2-minute minor penalty. On Friday’s Felger and Mazz, the guys both felt that Carlo but himself in a vulnerable position.
Mazz: I didn’t think it was as bad as a lot of people thought it was. I thought he kind of stopped short of the boards and initiated the contact himself and then kind of sprawled into the boards. So I felt like, I’m not into victim blaming, but I do feel like some of it was on him. He made himself vulnerable by stopping short and then he got plowed into the boards.
Felger: It was a close call. Like I don’t think he dove or like it was no penalty, but I think it was borderline is what I think it was…It was borderline. Carlo knew he was there so it is partly, you know it’s both players responsibility to gear up and protect themselves.
Felger: He had enough time to really brace himself and protect himself and you know who agreed? The replay guys. They called it a major in real time, they went to the replay, and the criteria for the replay or the major is defenseless player. So it’s not just a hit from behind. A hit from behind is two minutes. But the major is the player who’s being hit has to be a defenseless player. I don’t think he was quite defenseless. I don’t. I think it was two guys going hard after the puck. Benn is a badass. He’s a big bruising player. He’s going into the corner with you after a puck..you’re going to get hit. You’re taking contact.
