Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen was doing everything he could to help his team, already shorthanded, maintain their one-goal lead over the Montreal Canadiens.

When his stick broke blocking a point shot from Habs defenseman Jeff Petry, Kapanen knew he couldn’t play with a broken stick.

So he threw it.    At Petry.

Yeah, you can’t do that either.

 

Kapanen was immediately called for throwing the stick, resulting in a penalty shot for Montreal.

53.6 Penalty Shot – When any member of the defending team, including the Coach or any non-playing person, throws or shoots any part of a stick or any other object or piece of equipment at the puck or puck carrier in his defending zone, the Referee or Linesman shall allow the play to be completed and if a goal is not scored, a penalty shot shall be awarded to the non-offending team. This shot shall be taken by the player designated by the Referee as the player fouled.

Petry converted on the penalty shot, tying the game at 4.  Montreal went on to win the game 6-5 in the shootout.

“I was just getting a little tired – a little aggravated – and I broke my stick, which isn’t going to help us on the PK,” said Kapanen.

“I threw my stick and I hit him. I guess you get a penalty shot for that.”

“If I knew that rule existed… I wouldn’t have done that. I take responsibility.”

 

Referees for the game were Gord Dwyer and Jon McIsaac. Andrew Smith and David Brisebois were the linesmen.