Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba took a late hit on Dallas Stars center Joe Pavelski during the second period of Game 1 of the playoff series on Monday. The hit was so hard that Pavelski injured himself and had to exit the game.
Pavelski appeared to hit his head on the ice with great force after taking a massive hit. After this play from the Wild defenseman, Dumba was given a five-minute penalty, but after the review, it was brought down to a two-minute penalty for roughing.
Fans were furious with this play from the Wild defenseman and heavily lambasted Dumba for his dangerous play. Here are some reactions from fans. One said:
"Matt Dumba is a cheese eating rat bitch"-Small Chungus
"I'm just confused as to how he could laugh after Max beat his ass."-Randy Mithlo
One fan wrote:
One fan was not at all happy with the official's decision to give Matt Dumba just a 2-minute minor penalty. Here's what he said:
"NHL officials have no idea how to read a game. By giving Matt Dumba just a 2 minute minor for that kind of a hit, not only is it a horrifically wrong call, he’s now gonna be targeted the rest of the night for retaliation purposes and they’ll ultimately lose control of the game."
"Hope someone knocks Matt Dumba out of the game after that cheap shot on Pavelski. There is no way on earth that’s not a major penalty. @NHL fix this."- Hayden Harrison
Matt Dumba has long history of being involved in fights in his NHL career
The alternate captain of the Minnesota Wild has a bad reputation among NHL fans. During a matchup between the Minnesota Wild and Washington Capitals, the Wild's alternate captain took a massive hit on Evgeny Kuznetsov. The hit occurred in the first period and left Kuznetsov shaken up.
The Wild's alternate captain later got involved in a scuffle with Capitals forward T.J. Oshie. The two exchanged punches before being separated by officials. The incident sparked a physical game between the two teams, with both sides delivering big hits throughout the contest.
Dumba is known for his physical play and willingness to stand up for his teammates, which makes him a valuable asset to the Wild and a fan favorite.