New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller was ejected from Sunday’s game against against the Los Angeles Kings, and video replays clearly showed what led to the match penalty.
A minor scrum broke out behind the net during the first period of New York’s 5-2 win. Miller was seen spitting at Doughty during the skirmish. You can see the act toward the end of the video below:
K'Andre Miller has been awarded a match penalty for spitting on Drew Doughty. pic.twitter.com/bNY5fp63Tx
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 26, 2023
Spitting at an opponent results in an automatic match penalty and an ejection. League commissioner Gary Bettman will also review Miller’s actions, and there could be further discipline.
Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said after the game that he did not see the incident but that Miller told him it was “an accident.” ESPN’s Kristen Shilton reports that Miller met with Doughty to explain that he did not intentionally spit on the Kings defenseman. Doughty said he was “shocked” when it happened.
“I don’t even know if I said anything to him after, but I just immediately went to the ref to try to get the penalty,” Doughty told reporters. “But you don’t want to see things like that in this game, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that. I’m sure it has happened, but not that I’ve seen.
“It’s unfortunate, and whether or not he meant to do it, I have no idea. … I was pretty pi-sed.”
Replays clearly show that Miller spit at Doughty. Only Miller knows whether the act was unintentional, but it seemed it.
