Hawks’ Alex Stalock ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct in loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock was ejected in the final minutes of Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, and it’s hard to blame him for feeling the way he did.
At the 7:04 mark of the third period, Stars forward Luke Glendening scored a shorthanded goal to extend his team’s lead to 4-0 then bulldozed over Stalock, who laid on the ice for a bit before popping back up. Blackhawks head athletic trainer Mike Gapski tended to him in the crease but Stalock, at that point, looked to be fine and felt good enough to stay in the game.
Stalock was clearly unhappy about the no-call, and was relentless in voicing his frustration to the officials about it. During the next TV timeout, he stared in their direction almost the entire time.
Later in the period, Stalock was handed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for continuing to jaw at the official. He eventually was given a game misconduct with 3:37 left in regulation, ending his night.
“It’s tough,” said Tyler Johnson, who ended a 14-game goal drought in the loss. “I don’t think it’s intentional. I know Glendening, I know he’s not that kind of a player, so I’m not saying that. But it is a hard play.
“Obviously Stalock having the problems that he’s dealt with this year, it’s upsetting to see but it’s just one of those things that I don’t know if there’s really anything we could’ve done except for the PP to be a little better and not allow that to happen. It’s just an unfortunate play all around. It’s tough to see.”
Stalock, of course, has missed a chunk of time twice this season, one because of a concussion and the other because of ocular dysfunction. The first incident happened on Nov. 1 when New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas ran over him early in the first period. Cizikas was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for goaltender interference.
So you can understand why Stalock was so upset about it, even if it wasn’t a malicious play.
“I don’t really know exactly what the rule is,” Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said. “I know he was a touch out of the crease, but he’s trying to make a play on the puck. Glendening’s making a play on the puck as well. I don’t know exactly what the rule was, but I understand his frustration with what he’s gone through this year, being run over a few times and having different issues, whether it’s concussion or different issues with his neck or whatever it is.
“Definitely, we’ll always back our goalie, because he’s a battler. He’s not diving, pretending he’s hurt. He’s been run over pretty heavily a few times this year, so we definitely want to protect the goalies and if the calls aren’t t there to protect him, we have to do a better job.”
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