Last Wednesday, the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals had a fireworks show on the ice as the two teams reached a boiling point of emotion.

The Canes' 5-1 win was overshadowed by the various melees that ensued in the third period with a combined eight players being ejected and over 140 penalty minutes being assessed. 

However, one particular moment that caught the eye of hockey fans and the national media was the fight between Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (6-foot-1, 200lbs) and Capitals forward Connor McMichael (6-foot, 180lbs).

McMichael challenged Chatfield and the ensuing scuffle ended with Chatfield tossing McMichael to the ice.

The controversy arose because many saw this takedown as crossing a line and comparing it to a judo throw that could have injured McMichael.

However, no injuries resulted from the play, and Chatfield is a player with no prior disciplinary action and who's never been anywhere near a dirty player.

If you knew Chatfield at all, then it's hard to believe what many were painting the defenseman as: a dirty player who intended to injure McMichael.

It's just preposterous to claim that when really what it is is fans blowing something out of proportion and the media especially stirring up drama.

And Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour agrees.

"The media was the one who made drama out of it and they're morons, typically," Brind'Amour said following the team's practice on Monday. "If you're going to say what happened at the end was anything more than what I've seen a thousand times before, you don't know what you're talking about. Go look at the game exactly before. The Boston-Detroit game. Two really good heavyweights going at it and watch how that fight ends. It's a takedown, I'm sorry. Quit making something out of what isn't, because that's not a fair characterization of our player and that's what bothers me on the whole thing. Do your homework."

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