Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo EJECTED for SPEARING Lightning forward Corey Perry

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo was ejected from a game last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning for spearing forward Corey Perry.

After a scrum in front of the net with 2:40 left in the third period, Philly’s James van Riemsdyk tried poking home a shot when he was grabbed by Michael Eyssimont.

DeAngelo saw his teammate being grabbed, but took things a step too far by spearing Perry. Chaos ensued as DeAngelo was surrounded by Lightning players who began chasing after him and piled on top – including Perry.

DeAngelo was sent to the box, was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for his behavior.

A spearing penalty is assessed when a player stabs their hockey stick into a player – which is always with the intent to injure. By rule, if a spearing attempt doesn’t make contact, a player is still given a double minor penalty and spends four minutes in the penalty box. 

If it does make contact, it’s an automatic major penalty and a game misconduct – where the player gets ejected and another teammate has to sit in the box for five minutes.

Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) was ejected for spearing Tampa Bay’s Corey Perry

By rule, spearing occurs when a player stabs their stick at another player with the stick blade

Spearing results in a double minor if it doesn’t make contact, or in this case, a major penalty and a game misconduct – which carries a five-minute power play and an ejection

In a post-game press conference, DeAngelo said that he challenged Perry to a fight, but the Lightning forward didn’t accept.

‘He tried to slash my stick out of my hands a second beforehand. He talks all game,’ DeAngelo said. ‘I asked him to fight, he doesn’t want to fight. 

‘He’ll tell you he’s asked me to fight for years. I don’t say no. But wasn’t trying to give him a shot [where it landed]. Replay probably looks worse.’ 

Flyers head coach John Tortorella said that he didn’t see the replay, but had players tell him that it seemed intentional.

‘I haven’t seen the clip of what happened,’ Tortorella said. ‘Guys in the room said it was pretty obvious what happened.’

‘That’s the line you walk, as far as going over the edge. I want him to have his personality, to have that competitiveness. 

‘A couple of guys I did sit, I wish a little of that would rub off on them. But again, I haven’t seen it, but I think he may have crossed the line.’

‘You have to be careful, and that’s easy to say,’ Tortorella continued. ‘But that’s a part of who Tony is, and I think he’s done a pretty good job this year in staying on that line and competing.’ 

Perry (10) and his teammates all went after DeAngelo – piling on top of him in retaliation

DeAngelo has a history of controversial behavior – including physical and verbal abuse

After the game, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that DeAngelo would have a hearing for his behavior – potentially to assess further punishment.

One thing that may be taken into account when it comes to the likelihood of a suspension is DeAngelo’s history of questionable behavior – dating back to his time playing junior hockey in Canada.

He was suspended twice in the Ontario Hockey League for violating its harassment, abuse, and diversity policy by using unspecified slurs – with at least one to a teammate.

In Arizona, he was suspended for three games for physically assaulting an official and was fined nearly $15,000. 

While with the New York Rangers, he famously had a physical altercation with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev – with New York immediately placing him on waivers the next day.