Coaches In Blues-Jets Series Get Testy Over Hit
There was plenty of commotion during Game 5 between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday. (Terrence Lee-Imagn Images)
The temperature was already high in the Western Conference First Round series between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.
It rose even higher following the Jets' 5-3 win in Game 5 on Wednesday after Blues captain Brayden Schenn's check of Jets center Mark Scheifele.
Scheifele would remain in the game and later would get checked again, this time by Blues center Radek Faksa, and would play one more shift before departing the game with an undisclosed injury and miss the final two periods.
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THN has learned there will be no review of the play, and in turn, no supplemental discipline.
Jets coach Scott Arniel would confront the officials at the start of the second period, which in turn sent officials over to Blues coach Jim Montgomery to let him know what all the commotion was about.
Montgomery was asked about it after the game and he confirmed that it was in regards to Schenn's check, which Arniel thought should have at least been reviewed for a major and/or ejection.
Montgomery made it very clear he felt what sent Scheifele out of the game was getting checked by Faksa, not Schenn.
"It was, yes, it was about the Schenn hit," Montgomery said. "And let's make it clear: 55 [Scheifele] got hurt from the Faksa hit. He played six minutes after the Schenn hit. He didn't come back after he got rocked by Faksa."
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Arniel, who was very animated on it when discussing with the officials at the start of the second period, took offense to Montgomery's comments.
"Well, I didn't know 'Monty' got his medical degree, trying to say how our player got hurt; he's way off base," Arniel said. "He should not make that comment. There's some things that have been going on in this series and that was a repeat of what we've seen before. A player leaving his feet and then hitting a player in a very unprotected spot. Hitting him in the sense of almost blindsiding him. I'm not happy with how the call was made. A two minute minor. Not even looking at it is what I was upset about. And it is something that we have talked to the league about for five games."
Schenn was asked about it postgame.
"I haven't seen the replay, but I didn't believe I hit him in the head," Schenn said.
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There's no question there was no head contact, but the contention from the Jets is Schenn left the ice to deliver the blow. and now leave Scheifele in question for Game 6 Friday in St. Louis.
"We'll wait and see here obviously," Arniel said after the game. "We'll just wait and see where we're at. See how he is later tonight. See tomorrow.
"I don't know (about Game 6), we'll have to wait and see until tomorrow. I'll find out what's going on. We don't discuss injuries, especially this time of year."
* Arniel gave a Thursday update and said Scheifele will not travel for Game 6.
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