It’s safe to say Bruce Cassidy was not overly pleased with the penalty Alex Pietrangelo took in Game 5.
Speaking to reporters post-game, the Vegas Golden Knights head coach said the veteran defenceman should’ve known better.
With Wednesday’s game tied 2-2 in the second period, Pietrangelo was called for roughing after he swung his arm into the face of Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin during a play along the boards.
It was a retaliatory play by Pietrangelo, as Seguin had caught his teammate, Shea Theodore, up high with a hit earlier in the period.
Initially ruled a five-minute major, Pietrangelo’s penalty was reduced to a two-minute minor after a review by the referees. Despite the penalty being reduced, the Stars still capitalized on the man advantage, as Jason Robertson scored to give his team a 3-2 lead.
“Veteran guys should know better,” Cassidy said of Pietrangelo. “We didn’t like the hit on Theodore by Seguin. Quite obviously left his feet, targeted the head. So, you’re going to be upset, but that’s playoff hockey. You’ve got to find a way to channel it. … We should know better.”
Robertson’s power-play tally ultimately stood as the game-winner, leading Dallas to take a 3-2 series lead over Vegas in Round 1.