Predators’ Fabbro suspended 2 games for elbowing Canes’ McGinn in head
.jpg "Nashville Predators’ Rem Pitlick (16) battles with Carolina Hurricanes’ Brock McGinn (23) for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, March 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)")
Nashville Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro has been suspended two games by the NHL for his elbow to the head of Brock McGinn of the Carolina Hurricanes, the league’s Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.
In a game Carolina won 3-2 in overtime at PNC Arena, Fabbro left his feet and struck McGinn on Tuesday with 6:16 left in the second period. Fabbro was called for a two-minute minor penalty for elbowing while McGinn was taken to the locker room for medical evaluation.
The league, in announcing the suspension, said as McGinn was making a play on the puck, “Fabbro raises his arm, extends his elbow and drives it with force into McGinn’s head.”
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Wednesday that he was not sure why a five-minute major penalty was not called on Fabbro.
“I can’t comment on this stuff because I honestly don’t understand what the rules are,” Brind’Amour said on a media call. “It’s that simple because if that isn’t one I don’t know what is. That’s the way I look at it. It’s a clear elbow to the head, as far as I can see. So I would assume that would be a major penalty.”
The Canes trailed 2-0 when the hit occurred along the boards. Jordan Staal then scored on the power play and Carolina scored another power-play goal later in the period to tie the score 2-2.
Staal later said it was a “tough hit” on McGinn and that the power-play score turned the game’s momentum. McGinn returned to the game and Brind’Amour said Wednesday that McGinn “seems OK.”
The Hurricanes and Predators play again Thursday at PNC Arena.
The NHL noted that Fabbro did not have a prior history of disciplinary sanctions from the league and has not been suspended or fined in the past.
Referees are allowed to review major or match penalties called on the ice to either confirm or change their call and reduce to a lesser penalty. Brind’Amour has long been a proponent off having an official sitting in a booth off the ice to quickly assess potential penalties.
“As I’ve said before, it’s too hard to referee our sport live,” Brind’Amour said. “You’ve got to give these guys some help. Putting more guys on the ice to watch it live doesn’t help. There’s no way you can tell live if anything is a penalty or not. It happens too fast.
“These guys are great at doing it and figuring it out most of the time but if they had a quick second or someone in their ear to say ‘Was that what I saw?’ we’d have these things corrected at least way more than what we are now, in my opinion. They need a little help.”
Injury update
It doesn’t sound as if injured goalie Petr Mrazek and forward Teuvo Teravainen will be back in the lineup soon.
Mrazek had surgery for a dislocated thumb and has missed the past 20 games. Brind’Amour mentioned Wednesday that Mrazek had pins removed from the thumb and said, “We’re on track but we were hoping it would be a little quicker. We were hoping to see him a couple of weeks ago and it didn’t happen.”
Teravainen suffered a concussion in the Feb. 19 game against Chicago. He came back to play March 4 against Detroit but has been out the past two games, although he has done some skating this week.
“He doesn’t feel ready or anything, so I would say that’s still a ways away, unfortunately,” Brind’Amour said.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Nashville Predators
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh.
TV: FSCR
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 1:02 PM.
