NHL Playoffs 2012: (Video) New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators Brawl

The New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators started Game 2 with tons of physicality. There were body checks, snow showers and a few fights and cheapshots. A lot of the physical play was a carry over from game 1.

The first period of game 2 featured two misconducts and ejections handed out and a situation that should have been completely avoided.

The fracas started when Brian Boyle checked Matt Carkner early in the first period and then Carkner took offense and got physical with Boyle.

Carkner dropped the gloves and started firing away at Boyle, who hadn't dropped his gloves, and knocked him to the ice. It was insinuated by the broadcast team that Ottawa was seeking revenge for Boyle getting physical with Erik Karlsson in Game 1.

Carkner then threw five haymaker blows at Boyle while he was down on the ice, all while referee Ian Walsh stood by and watched. This is a situation that is mind-boggling. Walsh is a veteran referee and should have stepped in. With Boyle in a defenseless position, he could have been seriously injured.

It was not until a linesman skated halfway down the ice to the altercation that Walsh made an attempt to break up the one-sided assault. As a result of Walsh's hesitancy to step in, Brandon Dubinsky made an attempt to defend Brian Boyle and was then involved in the fracas.

At the 1:37 mark in the clip, Walsh clearly has his arm up to signal a penalty and stares down at the situation and fails to step in.

Carkner received two minutes for roughing, five minutes for fighting and a game misconduct. Dubinsky was ejected from the game as the third man into the fight and received two minutes for roughing.

The rules are clear, and Dubinsky was rightly ejected. However, he should have never had to get involved, as Ian Walsh should have separated Matt Carkner from Brian Boyle.

It will be interesting to see if there are any reactionary supplemental discipline as a result of the first-period fracas.

Playoff hockey is physical but cheap shots like this need to curbed. It only makes things worse when an one ice official permits this behavior in the confines of a game.

Tom Urtz Jr. is an NHL Featured Columnist.

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