Should Matt Bartkowski earn suspension for hit on Brian Gionta? (Video)

Matt Bartkowski of the Boston Bruins delivered what could be kindly called a “controversial” hit on the Buffalo Sabres’ Brian Gionta on Sunday night, earning a game misconduct at 14:08 of the first period.

Gionta tried to snag a pass -- a really, really bad pass that put him on the trolleytracks -- and tapped it with his stick. Bartkowski skated over and cut him off, as Gionta skated towards the blue line, connecting with Gionta’s shoulder and, potentially, his head.

Here’s GIF:

The aesthetics were damning: Gionta flipping skates-over-shoulders and crashing to the ice. Marcus Foligno immediately engaged Bartkowski in a fight, earning an instigator, fighting major and a misconduct himself.

Bartkowski was given a 5-minute major for interference, five for fighting and a game misconduct. Gionta did not return to the game. Foligno also suffered an upper body injury and did not return.

Head-shot or no head shot, Bartkowski is likely going to get something from the NHL for delivering this kind of his to a defenseless opponent.

Yes, there’s a height disparity between the players of about five inches (listed) that has been mentioned by some in trying to analyze this hit; but it still tracks back to the kinds of hits the NHL wants in the game, and the ones that don’t need to be made. Gionta could stand as tall as a garden gnome and it’s still a late, illegal check.