New York Islanders

Cizikas Given Game Misconduct for Goalie Interference, Blackhawks Retaliate on Sorokin

Published

1 year ago

November 1, 2022

On Wednesday, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety fined New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas $5,000, the maximum allowed under the CBA for Goalie Interference against Chicago Blackhawks netminder Alex Stalock.

Stalock is in concussion protocol.

Here’s what transpired Tuesday night:

The New York Islanders fourth line had been dominant through the first nine games of the season. With Matt Martin missing the contest against the Chicago Blackhawks due to the birth of his second child, Ross Johnston slotted in alongside Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. But just 2:56 minutes into the contest, the fourth line was also down Cizikas for the remainder of the game.

As he took the puck to the net, he ran into Chicago Blackhawks netminder Alex Stalock, making direct contact with his head.

Stalock stayed down for a few minutes, in clear pain. Eventually, he got to his feet and, alongside the trainers, went off the ice and to the locker room.

Cizikas barrels into Stalock. Rough moment. #Isles #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/mSBGU4C845

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) November 2, 2022

Here are more angles:

Here is four angles of the Cizikas collision with Stalock #Isles pic.twitter.com/QiJGUVMZJ2

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) November 2, 2022

Backup Arvid Soderblom came into the game immediately and played the rest of the contest.

Unfortunately for Casey Cizikas, Stalock still had a foot in the crease, and the point of contact was directly to Stalock’s head.

Given that Cizikas was given a match penalty, he will likely have a meeting with George Parros of NHL Player Safety sometime on Wednesday.

Last season, Cizikas was suspended one game for boarding Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith on Apr. 8.

Here’s the hit:

Cizikas hit on Smith pic.twitter.com/JLDnd8usUh

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) April 9, 2022

Cizikas also forfeited $12,500 to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The Chicago Blackhawks, later in the first season, tried to get even as forward Andreas Athanasiou crashed right into him, earning him a two-minute goaltender interference penalty.

#Blackhawks Andreas Athanasiou crashing into #Isles netminder Ilya Sorokin (video courtesy of @RTaub_): pic.twitter.com/ZjmeoR7aGd

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) November 2, 2022

If Ilya Sorokin had been injured on the play, we could have seen another five-minute major and game misconduct penalty handed out. But Sorokin was just fine.

“I don’t know exactly what happened. I mean, I think just after we do it, getting a five-minute penalty call out of it and a couple minutes later, it kind of seems like…I don’t know,” Scott Mayfield said. “They call a penalty on it. I don’t know where they review it…They called a penalty so that’s it.”

New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert backed his player.

“Well, I’d have to look at it again. I haven’t, you know, haven’t revisited it,” Lambert said. “I just know that Casey’s not that type of player that’s going to hit a goaltender on purpose.”