Hurricanes' Hamilton doesn't agree with 3rd-period penalty calls
It was a rough night at the office for Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Boston Bruins, Hamilton was called for two penalties in the third period, that in his eyes, did not warrant a trip to the box.
“I just watched both of them and I didn’t agree with either," Hamilton said, according to The Athletic's Joe McDonald. "Not much else to say. The game is over now and nothing you can do about it now.”
The first of which - a minor for roughing - resulted in Patrice Bergeron wiring home the Bruins' second power-play goal in 28 seconds that would also stand as the game-winner.
This is the Hamilton roughing penalty pic.twitter.com/TVwy3f5O3P
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) May 10, 2019
Shortly after Bergeron's go-ahead marker, Hamilton was assessed a minor for interference while trying to check Bruins forward David Backes off a loose puck.
Dougie Hamilton helping the Bruins AGAIN. This time an interference penalty pic.twitter.com/qNbQLhkQLy
— Evan Marinofsky (@emarinofsky) May 10, 2019
The second Hamilton penalty did not prove costly for the Hurricanes, but the Bruins' power play did finish 2-for-5 on the night. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour wasn't happy about the calls, but did not lean on the officiating as an excuse for his team.
"I was frustrated as everybody on some of the calls, but again I think we've got to kill them," he said postgame, per Fox Sports Carolina. "Take a penalty and you gotta kill them and we didn't do that."
The Hurricanes' penalty kill has been their weakness all postseason, operating at 73.2 percent.
The two sides will get an extra day of rest before playing Game 2 on Sunday at TD Garden in Boston.