Anaheim Ducks center Antoine Vermette apparently was not pleased with the officiating during Tuesday night's game against the Wild in Minnesota. The way he decided to show his displeasure could very well earn him a significant suspension from the league.
Nearly halfway through the third period, Vermette lost a neutral zone face-off. His body language suggested he wasn't happy with the way the linesman dropped the puck, as the veteran center remained stationary for a moment as play went live. Vermette may not have been thrilled with the timing of the puck drop, which came as he was pulling back from the dot.
Either way, that frustration boiled over and he decided to handle it by taking a swing at the back of the linesman's legs. Yeah, you can't do that.
Vermette was swiftly handed a misconduct penalty for Abuse of Officials and tossed from the game. Ultimately, it didn't end up costing his team (the Ducks won 1-0) but Vermette isn't in the clear just yet. The NHL doesn't take too kindly to players targeting officials -- just ask Dennis Wideman -- so Vermette will likely see supplemental discipline for his stupidity.
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