Whatever viewers, fans, media, players and coaches thought of Alex Chiasson’s spear to the gut of Philadelphia Flyers forward Nick Cousins doesn’t matter.
Because the official call on Wednesday at the Scotiabank Saddledome was a five minute major for spearing and an automatic game misconduct – end of story. The evidence doesn't lie either: Chiasson casually skates by Cousins, gives him a shot to the stomach and Cousins doubles over.
But, regardless, of how it looked or whether or not it was indeed as bad as it seemed, Chiasson did what he did.
And the timing of it was boneheaded, too.