Jason Demers got away with one on Saturday night.
Not only did the Sharks defenseman pop linesman Brian Mach across the chin with a hard right, he didn't get suspended or fined. In fact, all he got was a quick two-minute roughing penalty, for what he called an accident.
"I wasn't looking at [Mach] at all, I was looking through him to [Steve] Ott," Demers told reporters after the game."[Mach] sort of jumped in the way. He knew, and he was fine with it. I didn't have any intention of doing that, it was inadvertent. Things happen in the heat of the moment. He was alright with it. I talked to him and apologized, and we went from there."
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, NHL director of officiating Terry Gregson spoke with Mach after the incident. Gregson explained to Dreger that rule 40 — abuse of an official — doesn’t apply because it was unintentional and Mach admitted to stepping into the fight too early.
Check out the right hook Demers threw at Mach during his scuffle with Ott below.
