Sometimes breaking up fight makes you an involuntary participant, or, at the very least, an unintended target.
After a late-game scrap between Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson and Korbinian Holzer of the Maple Leafs, the linesmen jumped in. Linesman Greg Devorski grabbed Holzer while Miller got a hold of Wilson.
Even though he was being restrained by Devorski, Holzer tried for one more punch.
It connected. Not with Wilson, though. That punch landed squarely on linesman Steve Miller.
Holzer was apologetic after the game and planned to reach out to Miller. “I didn’t know [I’d hit the linesman] until I head the other linesman screaming at me,” he said.
“I actually thought I got Wilson there,” Holzer said. “I was like ‘Oh nice’, then I pulled my jersey down and the linesman started screaming at me and I saw the other linesman down I was like ‘Oh – that was the wrong guy.’”
There’s a chance the league could pursue supplemental discipline against Holzer. Automatic suspensions under Rule 40 – Physical Abuse of Officials primarily apply to deliberate physical force applied to officials. Obviously, this contact was accidental though Holzer threw that punch well after Devorski had him wrapped up.
“I hope they see it was unintentional,” said Holzer. “I’m not a guy who goes after linesmen.”
Here’s the full bout:
Miller was shaken up but not injured on the play. He stayed on the ice for the remainder of the game.
