The game was proceeding practically at a glacial pace, one of those less-than-memorable contests you expect to see in early January.
Until the 7-minute 59-second mark in the third period.
Then a tame game suddenly turned controversial. It started when the Blues' Magnus Paajarvi was knocked off balance by a slash from Kings left wing Milan Lucic. Then Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb checked the falling Paajarvi into the boards.
McNabb was tossed from the game and received a five-minute major for charging, and the officials got an earful from an irate Kings Coach Darryl Sutter.