The Crosby Effect: Niskanen’s cross-check warranted no punishment

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby found himself exiting Game 3 early with a worrisome injury.

After a cross-check to the head from Matt Niskanen, Crosby was down on the ice until a trainer came over, and eventually, he was helped off the ice by his teammates. Crosby did not return to game action.

Here is the play, which resulted in Matt Niskanen receiving a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Niskanen will not receive a disciplinary hearing for his actions, nor will he face any punishment. While controversy surrounds the play, there is no reason for the Capitals blueliner (and Crosby’s former teammate) to face any backlash.

When it comes to Crosby, the star has an unfortunate history that comes with head injuries. He has faced multiple concussions and blows to the head in his career, and it has not only held him out of the lineup but also affected his performance. While it is never good to see him go down, especially when he falls victim to a head injury, there was no reason for the NHL to act.

Watching the Play

There are many different ways to interpret the play, and it comes with the bias of being a fan. Some would argue that Niskanen saw Crosby coming when he came back around, put up the stick and decided to take all of his weight and put it into a huge check on the captain. Others believe that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

An interesting argument came from Pete Blackburn, who compared the play in slow motion and real time. But of course, it is crucial to analyze the play in real time; hockey is not played in slow motion. Decisions are not made in slow motion.

When I look at the play, I see Niskanen trying to brace himself for a collision that was coming. He found himself skating backward on defense. When he went to follow the play, he saw he was about to bump into Crosby. There was also great momentum from Niskanen, who was already at full speed, and Crosby was already falling to the ice.

Niskanen was likely bracing himself for the collision that was coming; his eyes are not even on Crosby. He probably raised his stick to protect himself from the impact, and unfortunately hit a falling Crosby in the face. Considering the circumstances, I can conclude that Niskanen was not trying to target or injure the 29-year-old center.

Making the Right Decision

Niskanen himself has never faced a game misconduct, nor has he ever been suspended. He is not a penalty-ridden player, accumulating 32 penalty minutes throughout the regular season. Those who say that Niskanen was trying to injure a former teammate of his is completely negligent of his character.

Overall, there are many who believe the league protects and has bias toward the superstars and elite players in the game. I call it the Crosby Effect; when a superstar is injured, the league usually looks for any type of malice and takes swift disciplinary action. When it comes to Crosby in particular, he is a player who has found himself protected by the league and officials for years now.

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However, there is a line to draw. The league could not look at this play and see Niskanen as a reckless player who was trying to hurt the top player in the NHL. Therefore, the five-minute major and game misconduct was deemed enough, and there should be no further punishment or rehashing of the matter.

In the end, the Department of Player Safety made the right call. Crosby’s status is unknown, and whether or not he plays in Game 4 remains a mystery.