Mike Sullivan described it as, well, just hockey.
Others might describe it as the wildest PPG Paints Arena has been all season.
Tempers flared during the second period in the Penguins' 4-2 loss to the Islanders Monday.
The Islanders had gone after both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on consecutive shifts, and then it was Matt Martin going after Jason Zucker following a stoppage in play:
And that wasn't end of things. Not even close:
Ross Johnston slammed Malkin to the ice, but a moment later it seemed as though everything was finally cooling off.
Silly assumption.
With Johnston plopped on top of Malkin, he and Zucker started jawing at each other, and were they ever going at it:
All in all here's how the penalties were dished out:
• Zucker -- 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct, 2 minutes for roughing, 10-minute misconduct
• Malkin -- 2 minutes for roughing
• Kris Letang -- 2 minutes for roughing
• Jake Guentzel -- 2 minutes for roughing
• Marcus Pettersson -- 2 minutes for roughing
• Johnston -- 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct, 2 minutes for roughing, 10-minute misconduct
• Martin -- 2 minutes for roughing
• Brock Nelson -- 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct
• Scott Mayfield -- 2 minutes for roughing
• Ryan Pulock -- 2 minutes for roughing
As the disgruntled players on the ice were still being escorted to the penalty box, Zucker caught a glimpse of himself on the jumbotron while the noise meter graphic appeared. Juices flowing, he used that as an opportunity to pump up the home crowd:
"I think it was just hockey," Sullivan would say of it all. "It’s an emotional game. Both teams are invested out there, and it was just hockey. For me, that’s just part of it. I think our team did get some energy out of it."
