Tensions are always high in hockey, especially in the NHL playoffs. With the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars squaring off in a Game 4 shutout, there was an impromptu moment between Jamie Benn, Mark Scheifele that caught Peter DeBoer's attention.
During the game, Benn sucker punched Scheifele, which led to an uproar of boos from the Winnipeg crowd. Following the game, the Dallas head coach stuck by his player following the punch.
“It's an emotional series,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer told reporters via USA Today. “You play this time of year against one team, and there gets to be a little bit of hate out there. That's OK.”
As mentioned earlier, the tensions are heightened in the playoffs. After all, the Stars were being shut out by the Jets in Game 5. Not to mention, Dallas was up 3-1 and had a chance to close out the series.
Being shut out isn't a good feeling, and that punch might've been the tip of the iceberg for how his teammates felt. Capitalizing on a 3-1 advantage is something that they wished to do.
Now, they'll have to wait until Saturday to get their retribution.
Wings' Peter DeBoer understands Jamie Benn-Mark Scheifele scuffle
DeBoer wasn't necessarily justifying Benn's sucker punch. However, he's saying that he understands the emotional aspect of the series. Both teams are competing for a shot at the Western Conference Finals.
Dallas has had multiple chances to capitalize on Winnipeg's mistakes. For instance, Stars winger Mikko Rantanen had a Game 2 hat trick. Also, Mikael Granlund had a hat trick in Game 4.
Those performances signaled what would've been the beginning of the end. However, the Jets found a way to secure two dominant wins.
Both of which were shutouts by goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Games 1 and 5 showed that Winnipeg has the capability of doing so.
Either way, frustrations boiled over on Thursday, and it landed right on Scheifele's face. That frustration could result in a possible suspension for the veteran winger.
This isn't the first time either, as he cross-checked Mark Stone in the 2023 playoffs, and was suspended.
Emotions taking over is one thing, but to do so with the team reeling isn't a good sign. Although they have a talented roster, Winnipeg won 56 games for a reason.
They've shown the poise to make a comeback. After all, they did so against the St. Louis Blues in the first round. Possibly losing Benn could be a blessing for the Jets.
At the same time, this could be a fatal blow for the Stars. No matter what, DeBoer understands the spur of the moment. But if it costs them in the future, then DeBoer's comments could be different.