Tampa Bay Lightning forward Pat Maroon wasn't impressed that referees assessed him and Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Wayne Simmonds with 10-minute misconducts in Monday's contest.
Officials dinged the two veterans while they jawed at each other early in the first period:
Wayne Simmonds and Pat Maroon got 10 minutes each for talking junk 🗣️
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) April 4, 2022
Thoughts on these penalties? pic.twitter.com/bWtXNB7Lh3
Maroon questioned the call following Toronto's 6-2 win.
"This game is going the wrong way," Maroon said, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith. "I guess you can't chirp each other on the bench now. I guess that is illegal. I guess it is better to watch 1980s hockey when guys are chirping each other, but I don't know why they (referees) did that."
The officials seemed to be attempting to nullify a potential fight between Maroon and Simmonds. Neither player engaged in any altercations together after the misconducts.
Maroon has dropped the gloves for nine fights this season, while Simmonds has participated in four bouts, according to hockeyfights.com.
Simmonds was given a misconduct last week against the Winnipeg Jets after he and Adam Lowry looked to be discussing a potential fight during a faceoff late in the third period.
