Subban upset with linesman after Kane empty-netter

A linesman inadvertently helped set up a Sabres empty-netter much to the chagrin of PK Subban, whose tirade following the goal earned him a game misconduct.

P.K. Subban was ticked off with an official following a 6-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

The Montreal Canadiens defenceman was visibly upset after an attempted clear from Sabres forward Ryan O’Reilly deflected off a linesman and bounced towards Evander Kane who immediately scored the game-sealing empty-net goal late in the third period.

Subban couldn’t understand how the linesman didn’t make an effort to get out of the way and was tossed from the game for arguing with the official.

“I looked around to see if he was going to blow [the whistle,]” Subban told reporters after the game. “The puck is coming out of the zone. It hits the linesman. He’s standing there and sees the puck coming. It goes back to the player and he puts it in the open net. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

“Are we supposed to smile and be happy after that and say, ‘Thank you’ to the linesman? I don’t think so. I’m a little bit disappointed about that, because I felt there was a minute left in the game [and] we still had a chance to score.”

Kane realized he caught a bit of a break, but he acknowledged that it’s all part of the game.

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.