The Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes were on their best behavior Wednesday night. Santa would be proud.
It was a quiet night for referees Tom Kowal and Graham Skilliter as the two teams stayed out of the penalty box for the entire game.
Last season boasted three penalty-free games:
- 11/1/15 – Buffalo Sabres vs. New York Islanders (Refs: Joannette/McCauley)
- 1/21/16 – Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins (Refs: Kimmerly/Kozari)
- 2/26/16 – San Jose Sharks vs. Buffalo Sabres (Refs: Sutherland/O’Rourke)
As far as the teams in last night’s no-penalty affair, it’s unfamiliar territory for Pittsburgh.
The Penguins have only twice before in their 49-year history avoided taking a penalty. They stayed out of the box during a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on January 7, 1992, as well as on April 10, 2002, when they tied the Buffalo Sabres 4-4. Referees for the game were Kelly Sutherland and Jay Sharrers.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been much more disciplined over the years. Fifteen times since 1997 they’ve been penalty-free. Only once prior – against the Buffalo Sabres on April 6, 2015 – did they play in a game where both teams took no penalties. Refs for that one were Dave Jackson and Garrett Rank.
