One win is all the Maple Leafs needed to take the series against their bitter rivals, Ottawa. It seemed the Ottawa Senators were done after losing three in a row against the Leafs. Yet things got interesting when they won Game 4 of the Battle of Ontario. And tonight, Linus Ulmark was an impenetrable wall against the Leafs’ offense in Game 5. The frustration set in right from the first period as the Maple Leafs dominated but failed to score a single goal.

With 1:35 left in the first period, the Leafs became desperate to score a goal, and Morgan Rielly landed a massive hit on the Senators’ Thomas Chabot. Chabot, who intended to wrap the puck around behind the Leafs’ goal, didn’t know what hit him as he smashed face-first into the boards. The result? A two-minute penalty on Rielly. Yet, some saw it differently.

The Spittin’ Chiclets asked, “Should this have been more than a minor penalty?”  Sportsnet’s clip of the offense. The verdict from Senators fans was unanimous, and it was a resounding no. In fact, they thought Aaron Ekblad went easier with his high forearm hit that put Brandon Hagel out of action yesterday. And Ekblad got a suspension. “This was worse than what Ekblad got suspended for,” commented one fan, demanding equal punishment.

Yet, to understand the Senators’ fans’ perspective, we must look at how Aaron Ekblad earned his second suspension. The Florida Panthers defenseman, who just returned from a 20-game suspension after violating the terms of the NHL‘s Performance Enhancing Substances Program, earned a two-game suspension after playing only twice in the playoffs after a rather reckless hit on Tampa Bay Lightning’s Brandon Hagel.

While the officials missed the hit, the DoPS adjudged the offence as elbowing barred the veteran defenceman from taking the ice before the final game of the round 1 playoffs series. Now the fans want the Maple Leafs defenseman to face the music, too. Yet, how was it worse than even Ekblad’s infraction?

Fans argued the Maple Leafs defenseman committed multiple offenses

While the officials handed Rielly a two-minute penalty and gave Ottawa the power play, one fan argued they were far too lenient. “5 and a game,” commented the fan, calling for a 5-minute major penalty and a one-game suspension. “If you want to rank dangerous plays, this is more dangerous than what Ekblad did. Not going by who got hurt worse. This is more dangerous,” complained another fan.

How did the fan reach this verdict, you ask? Well, that’s what another fan wrote, explaining how the 31-year-old committed not one but three offenses in one move. “That was cross-checking, hitting from behind, and boarding all in one play,” argued the fan. The footage showed the Maple Leafs player coming up from behind and cross-checking with his stick, who hit his head on the boards while falling down. While the hit bore similarity to the intentional nature of Ekblad’s hit, it was even more similar to what Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola did in Game 4.

Shortly after Aaron Ekblad’s hit on Hagel, Mikkola boarded the Bolts forward, Zemgus Girgensons. He then followed up with two more hits. These additional infractions prompted the refs to hand Mikkola a 5-minute major and a game misconduct. The NHL also levied a $5000 fine on Mikkola. But while Senators fans wanted similar action against Rielly, Maple Leafs fans came with their own set of arguments.

In fact, some suggested that Chabot may have overreacted to the hit. “Chabot should have gotten one for embellishment,” one wrote. Well, while the arguments went on in the comments, Chabot himself had the last laugh.

Thomas Chabot drew first blood in the first period, igniting Ottawa’s goal-scoring spree in the shutout win. Now, the question is: Will the NHL take further action against the Maple Leafs defenseman? It’s not impossible because Ekblad earned his suspension after a phone hearing. Yet, what do you think? Tell us in the comments.