Avalanche Angry After Carter Hit on Makar; Is it Suspension-Worthy?

The Colorado Avalanche squandered a third-period lead and lost in overtime to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They were also not very happy with Penguins center Jeff Carter for his late-third period hit on star defenseman Cale Makar.

The Penguins crashed the net for the final minutes of the third period, attempting to tie the 1-0 game. Bryan Rust’s skate deflected the puck into the net after a scramble near the crease. The Penguins won the game in overtime, 2-1, at PPG Paints Arena.

As Makar played a fluttering puck near the net, Carter charged toward the crease and his shoulder made direct contact with Makar’s head.

Colorado’s TV broadcast was decidedly against the hit. Mark Rycroft said the hit was the type the league is trying to remove from the game.

“This needs to be out of the game. The NHL knows it. They have rules against it,” Rycroft said. “You can’t hit a player anytime, especially on the blindside like that.”

Play-by-Play broadcaster Marc Moser didn’t buy any accidental nature, “Oh, that’s on purpose. My goodness!”

Jeff Carter catches Cale Makar high with blind side contact, not pretty#GoAvsGo | #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/VxvdfeHz90

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 8, 2023

Makar immediately grabbed his head and fell to the ice. He is a prime performer as a Norris and Calder trophies winner. He has 45 points (13-32-45) in 45 games.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar didn’t avoid the question about what he and his team thought.

“He skated right through his head. That’s what I saw,” Bednar said.

Makar did not leave the game and spoke to reporters after it. According to Peter Baugh of the Athletic, Makar called the hit “pretty blindside.”

Makar said the referees (Gord Dwyer and Carter Sandlak) ruled the hit a collision. Bednar said officials didn’t give the coaches an explanation.

Carter’s shoulder clearly impacted Makar’s head, but as the puck fluttered shoulder-high, was Carter simply chasing the puck?

What say you, Penguins fans: Should Jeff Carter receive supplemental discipline?