“It’s bulls**t,” Marcus Foligno criticizes NHL officials as ‘arrogant’ following controversial calls in Game 4
It seems Wilds sentiments on Game 4 were the same as their alternate captain got two penalties from NHL officials for reasons they found hard to believe.
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Marcus Foligno [Image Credit: Sports Ilustrated]
Minnesota Wild’s forward Marcus Foligno blasts NHL officials after being the victim of two controversial penalties in Game 4. These penalties resulted in Dallas Stars’ power-play goal which they capitalized to top Wilds in a 3-2 record, tying the series 2-2.
These were not only crucial points for the Wild but were also penalties that the team thought they didn’t deserve. Their head coach Dean Evason seemed to share the same sentiment as the forward as they said it’s useless to let people know what they think since the game’s over.
In a tight played Stanley Cup play, calls against NHL officials are often made. It just happened to fall under Wilds on Sunday. The first call made against Foligno was interference against Jani Hakanpaa in the 2nd period, and the other was a “tripping” call leading to Stars Tyler Seguin’s power-play goal.
Marcus Foligno and Dean Evason rip NHL officiating after Game 4
![Marcus Foligno [Image Credit: Yahoo]](https://firstsportz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-12-33-1024x768.png)
The first NHL call was made when Marcus Foligno hit the Stars’ defenceman Jani Hakanpaa within seconds of the defenceman hitting the puck. Following the alleged interference call, the officials went on to call out Wilds’ alternate captain a second time late in the 3rd period.
After Hakanpaa smashed into the boards, Foligno was called out for tripping Mason Marchment. Before Foligno could tackle Marchment in front of the Stars’ boards, the forward jumped back to defend himself. In the process, he inadvertently high-sticked Foligno in the face. In the end, the one who fell flat on the ice was none other than Wild’s forward.
The Wilds expected a call on the Stars forward, but the NHL officials took Foligno to the penalty box. The 31-year-old is not known to mince his words and this time too, he didn’t hold back from firing words at NHL officials. These two penalties gave the Stars a boost, tying the game at 2-2 in 1st round playoff series.
During the postgame interview, Foligno said, “It’s a joke. It doesn’t make any sense”. “I go to hit a guy who touches the puck. It’s not interference. I go, I get high-sticked in the face. It’s not a tripping call when you hit a guy clean on. It’s bulls***.”
“There’s just something to be talked about the physicality part of it. I just feel like it’s a little bit chintzy right now. It doesn’t make any sense”. “This is playoff hockey. You go and hit a guy and it’s not illegal.”
“… It’s clean and you’re getting called to the penalty box. I don’t know. I think in that sense maybe they got to them before we did.” Coach Dean Evason almost cracked behind the bench when officials called out Foligno. He talked with reporters stating, “We all know what happened”.
“I’m not going to comment on [the calls]. We have our opinions, but what’s the point? … There’s no point in whining about it now. They’re gone. Our game was really good.”
“… We like the way we’re playing the game. Hard. Physical. Finishing our checks the right way. How playoff hockey should be played. It should be physical. It should be intense. It should be hitting hard. That’s what playoff hockey is. We were doing that.”
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Kaushani Chatterjee
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