Although it appeared to be just a minor scuffle by the standards of hockey fighting, this brush-up between the Capitals and Blue Jackets may have in fact been a lot nastier. According to Columbus forward Derek Dorsett, Caps star Alex Ovechkin spit in his face.
In the second period, Dorsett nailed Ovechkin and sent the former Hart Trophy winner to the ice. Ovechkin got up and began pushing Dorsett in retaliation and, eventually, both were sent to the penalty box. In most cases, this would be the last we'd hear about such an incident, but according to Dorsett, there was more to it than was visible on camera.
"I haven't told many people this but he spit in my face," Dorsett told the Columbus Dispatch. "That got me a little more mad."
Dorsett went on to say that Ovechkin spitting on him was what caused him to yell at the referee while he sat in the penalty box.
"That's probably one of the most disrespectful things someone can do," he continued. "Especially a guy who is the best player in the league."
When asked about the incident, Ovechkin told the Washington Post, "No, no, no. I don't know. Show me that moment, I want to see it. No."
The Capitals would eventually win the game, but the incident between the star player and Dorsett remains in question.
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