Carolina Hurricanes forward Justin Williams was incensed after he was called for embellishment Wednesday night in Vancouver. So was his coach.
Williams got tangled up with the Canucks’ Troy Stetcher behind the net and crashed to the ice. He scrambled back to his feet, winning the race to the loose puck, only to have the whistle stop play.
The Canes’ captain was sent off for embellishment, much to his amazement and that of his head coach. Carolina bench boss Rod Brind’Amour unloaded on referee Trevor Hanson, blowing up ad the official before dismissively waving him on.
Stetcher did not receive a penalty on the play.
Williams has been penalized twice before for diving in his 18-year, 1,212-game NHL career, both times while as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. He was given a diving penalty on January 18, 2007, with no matching penalty called; he received a second on October 31, 2007 against the Florida Panthers, with Nathan Horton picking up a hooking call on the same play.
