Oshie and Bonino have a history of bad high-sticking calls

T.J. Oshie had to sit in the box in the final minutes of a 3-2 game after Nick Bonino looked to sell a "high stick" call that was more than questionable.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are never short on drama, especially when it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins versus Washington Capitals.

The biggest topic coming out of Game 3 was whether or not Matt Niskanen’s cross-check on Sidney Crosby was simply a “hockey play.” Game 4 featured another “hockey play” that has some fans up in arms.

With less than two minutes remaining in a 3-2 game, T.J. Oshie got his stick up in Nick Bonino‘s face, landing himself in the penalty box and stopping a late-game Capitals rally in its tracks.

Only, upon a second look, it appears Oshie’s stick didn’t actually make contact with Bonino’s face at all, but rather his left arm/shoulder.

Hockey Twitter chimed in, right on cue:

Now, here’s where it gets… weird.

Almost the exact same thing happened one year ago, during the 2016 playoffs between these two clubs. Same players, just with the roles reversed.

Midway through the third period of Game 5, Bonino’s stick made contact with Oshie’s left arm. Oshie’s immediately reacted as though he’d been hit in the face, and successfully drew a penalty, sending Bonino to the box. Watch:

Oshie alluded to that year-ago play in his post-game media availability Wednesday night following the Capitals’ 3-2 loss, and admitted that it was a bad penalty to take, regardless.

So either Bonino is playing the long game, or the hockey gods are having some fun. Let’s just call this one even now.

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