Should Sidney Crosby have been penalized for throwing a water bottle on the ice?

Sidney Crosby got upset that there was a slash on Chris Kunitz so naturally he threw his water bottle on the ice during play. Moments later, Phil Kessel scored to make it 5-0 in Game 5.

The Pittsburgh Penguins may be one win away from the Stanley Cup after Game 5, but someone should tell Sidney Crosby it’s not time for baseball season just yet.

As the Penguins were skating down the ice on their way to the fifth goal of Game 5, a very strange play happened. Cameras caught Crosby throwing a water bottle from the Penguins bench in the direction of Nashville defenceman Mattias Ekholm, who was well behind the play.

Colour commentator Craig Simpson explained that it appeared Crosby was appealing a stick swing Ekholm made on Chris Kunitz after a check.

“Why did Sidney Crosby throw a water bottle out there? Well it was the reaction as Kunitz comes in and makes a hit here on Ekholm, a hard one going back, and the swing of the stick is what prompted that,” Simpson said. “And all of a sudden look at Crosby with a left-handed throw and about 40 seconds later it’s a 5-0 game.”

But should it have counted? According to the rule book, it appears the Penguins should have been whistled for a two-minute minor.

Here is Rule 53.2 under the “Throwing Equipment” section:

53.2 Minor Penalty – A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player on the ice who throws his stick or any part thereof or any other object in the direction of the puck or an opponent in any zone, except when such act has been penalized by the assessment of a penalty shot or the awarding of a goal.

When a defending player shoots or throws a stick or any other object at the puck or the puck carrier in the defending zone but does not interfere in any manner with the puck or puck carrier, a minor penalty shall be assessed.

At that point the Predators should have been given a power play in a 4-0 deficit. Forget catfish, the water bottle is the real instrument of crime.

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