True Crime Photos: Kraken's Gourde Attacked At Rangers Bench

Even at five-foot-nine and 175 pounds, Yanni Gourde proves over and over again to be one of the NHL's feistiest players.

But late in Saturday night's 4-1 Kraken loss to the Rangers, Gourde got ambushed just outside the New York bench. Whether you were watching at Climate Pledge Arena or the ROOT Sports telecast, you might not have seen in real time just what a beating Gourde received.

It wasn't pretty, and it was far from legal - although it wasn't penalized that way.

1. With 11 minutes remaining in the game, Gourde (Blue Arrow, hereafter referred to as BA) comes together with Filip Chytil of the Rangers (Red Arrow - RA) and the puck (Black Arrow).

Editor's Note: All photos are screengrabs from the ROOT Sports telecast.

2. Gourde legally checks Chytil. Note that Gourde's left skate remains in contact with the ice as he makes contact (BA).

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3. Chytil (right RA) is about to slash Gourde behind the ankles in retaliation, which isn't legal, but also isn't uncommon and rarely gets penalized. 

Of more concern to the Kraken center, Blueshirt defender Adam Fox (left RA) is preparing a hit of his own.

4. Fox delivers a shoulder check on Gourde. Kraken winger Kailer Yamamoto (#56), though nearby, largely avoided contact. 

For what it's worth, both of Fox's skates leave the ice (RA).

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5. Gourde (BA) absorbs the hit well, bouncing off. 

Taking the worst of the "reverse hit" is Fox, who tumbles to the ice (RA), no doubt bruising his feelings if not his body.

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6, 6A. As Gourde turns to face the Rangers bench - and probably exchange pleasantries - 6-foot-3, 211 lb. winger Will Cuylle (#50, RA) gives Gourde a shove. 

The photo taken from the ice-level video clearly shows Cuylle putting his hands where they do not belong. 

The rules frown on such behavior, for reasons which will become obvious.

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7. Gourde pushes back, though making contact with Vincent Trocheck, not Cuylle. 

Meanwhile, Fox (RA), having regained his footing, is out to avenge his bruised ego.

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8, 8A. As Cuylle (right RA) gives Gourde a second shove, other members of the bench continue to jaw with Gourde.

Fox (left RA) readies his stick in cross-check position. Ice-level video clearly shows Cuylle once again putting his hands where they do not belong.

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9, 9A. Fox rams his stick into the lower back of an unsuspecting Gourde, still engaged with Fox's teammates, who are clearly enjoying themselves. 

From ice level, the ferocity of the cross-check is obvious.

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10, 10A. Gourde has no opportunity to brace himself for the sneak attack. 

As he falls, his helmet flies off. Within seconds, this will place him in additional jeopardy.

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11, 11A. As Gourde rises, his attention appears to remain focused on the taunts from the New York bench (BA). 

This gives Chris Kreider (RA) an opportunity to take his own cheap shot.

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12, 12A. Kreider's two-hander from behind is delivered with even more force than Fox's, once again driving the unprepared Gourde to the ice.

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13, 13A. Even worse, these pair of screenshots show just how close Gourde's now helmetless-head came to smashing into the boards, or the ice, or both. 

Fortunately, he avoided that catastrophe.

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14, 15. You can't keep a good man down, but when Gourde rises once again, Kreider prepares another cross-check, this one intended for Yanni's head or neck.

16. The Kraken cavalry arrives, including Eeli Tolvanen, and all 10 skaters on ice come together to form a music-less mosh pit.

Somehow, Fox and Cuylle avoid any discipline whatsoever. 

The double-roughing minors handed out to Kreider are no more severe than the identical punishment given to Gourde.

 Oh, and Yanni received a 10-minute misconduct for responding to the shoves from the Rangers bench.

What a miserable night for the Kraken, who got beat up on the scoreboard - and in one of New York's most unruly neighborhoods.