Rangers: Niskanen hit that injured Crosby a ‘fluke,’ not malicious
NEW YORK — Tanner Glass knows collisions happen when an NHL player goes hard to the net. That’s why he calls the high-speed hit which left Pittsburgh Penguins superstar centre Sidney Crosby with a concussion an unavoidable incident.
Crosby was hurt when he was hit in the head by Washington’s Matt Niskanen in Game 3 of their East semifinal on Monday. Glass, who played with Crosby over two seasons in Pittsburgh, said there was no malicious intent on the part of the Capitals defenceman.
“I didn’t see a big issue with the play,” Glass said following the Rangers’ practice at Madison Square Garden Wednesday afternoon following their 4-1 win over Ottawa in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal.
“As far as what Niskanen did, you see that play all the time. (He has) two hands on his stick when a guy comes towards you, you stiffen up and push back a little bit. Unfortunately he caught him in a bad spot.”