Sheldon Keefe tears a strip off of the referees after brutal penalty call
The Michael Bunting/NHL referees saga continues after he was given some rough treatment from the opposition, only to somehow end up in the penalty box himself - again.
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe wasn't coy about it last week when it occurred against the Detroit Red Wings. Defenseman, Jake Walman didn't like a body check that he received from Bunting, so he cross-checked him a few times before pinning him to the ice with his stick, yet they both received offsetting minor penalties, even though Bunting did nothing to deserve his.
Keefe was unhappy at the end of the game and did his best to keep his cool and avoid a fine. However this time around - mid game - he was extremely frustrated because it happened again but this time Bunting was given a penalty, sending the Montreal Canadiens on the power play.
Joel Edmundson was the aggressor, and Wayne Simmonds stepped in afterward, but Bunting wound up in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct as well.
If lip reading is your forte than this video would do you wonders as Keefe was seen yelling:
"Jesus f--king christ! What the f--k! What the f--k are you guys doing out here!? That's a f--king joke! What the f--k are you doing out here!?"
The NHL has tried it's best to crack down on open vitriol and hatred spewed towards their referees so another fine should be on the horizon. However, you can't blame Keefe for losing his cool.
If this continues to happen, you never know how that could impact the future games - especially in the playoffs. The last thing you need is one of your top-9 forwards being targeted by the referees against a Tampa Bay Lightning team possessing one of the best power plays in the NHL.
It's something that's going to be on the minds of many, including the player himself and his head coach, and one can only hope that Bunting avoids the sin bin for infractions he isn't guilty of, plays he wasn't a part of, or plays where he wasn't the aggressor.
