"Lock him up" , "Not a murder" - Matt Petgrave gets standing ovation less than a month after Adam Johnson's death, fans divided

Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave recently returned to the ice for the first time since his fatal collision with former Nottingham Panthers star Adam Johnson. Upon his return, he received a standing ovation from the fans inside the stadium.

The collision accident, which involved Adam Johnson sustaining a fatal neck injury on live TV, shocked the hockey community and sparked a range of reactions from NHL fans on Twitter.

Amidst the mixed emotions surrounding the standing ovation, a Twitter account named End Wokeness shared a post that highlighted the support Petgrave received from thousands of hockey fans. The tweet, however, included a controversial statement alleging that:

"Petgrave recently killed Adam Johnson by slicing his neck on live TV."

This claim added fuel to an already heated conversation surrounding the incident.

NHL fans took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the standing ovation and the circumstances surrounding Petgrave's return to the ice. One fan expressed disbelief, stating:

"I thought he’d be in jail awaiting trial. What a backward world."

Another fan questioned the lack of legal consequences, stating,

"How is that guy not in jail?"

A fan, who watched the incident unfold on live television, shared their perspective, saying,

"Wow. This is unexpected. I think anyone who watched the clip pretty much came to the conclusion that there was some malicious intent involved. It was freaking hard to watch even. Hard to believe he got this much support."

Another fan raised questions about the league's decision to allow Petgrave to continue playing. He asked:

"Why on earth would you give him a standing ovation? Whether it was intentional or not, it was outrageously reckless and it took someone's life. How is the league even allowing him to continue playing???"

Meanwhile, some fans came in support of Matt Petgrave.

The diverse reactions from NHL fans on Twitter highlight the complex and controversial nature of the incident involving Matt Petgrave and Adam Johnson.

Matt Petgrave and Adam Johnson's incident

During a hockey game at Sheffield's Utilita Arena, Adam Johnson suffered a devastating accident when he was struck in the neck by Matt Petgrave, who reportedly lost his balance after a collision.

Spectators witnessed Johnson bleeding before he bravely moved away, and then later collapsing. The game was halted in the 35th minute for urgent medical attention, but Johnson couldn't be saved, unfortunately.

The tragedy resulted from the unintentional contact of Petgrave's raised leg near the center line. The hockey players' community emphasized the non-intentional nature of the incident. Despite this, a police investigation was done, as revealed in earlier reports.