Photo by Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
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With a trainer shuffling along the ice to give Zajac medical attention, the Devils' John Moore attacked Chaput and attempted to fight him. Chaput refused to oblige so Moore was hit with 17 minutes in penalties. The Canucks scored on the ensuing power play.With Larsen out cold on his back, this time it was Chaput trying to fight Hall in retaliation for what he deemed a fight-worthy hit. The difference this time was all the skaters convened around Larsen's prone body, which resulted in Chaput kicking Larsen in the head and the Devils' Kyle Quincey doing the same as he jumped over Larsen to join the fray.Also, the Devils were awarded a power play with Chaput in the penalty box and scored on it.There is nothing quite as dumb as the NHL's "sticking up for a teammate" culture. Nothing holds a candle to the idea of coming to the defense of someone that was just the victim of either a clean or dirty hit in a sport that tells you upfront that you could be the victim of a clean or dirty hit. It's an extreme case, but this Pavlovian response could have resulted in Larsen suffering a spinal injury or having his throat sliced, all in the name of restoring the honor of someone who was contacted in a contact sport.Read More: The Toronto Maple Leafs Will Make the Playoffs … Maybe
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