"It's not like basketball," Martin Biron calls out Niko Mikkola for his reckless last-second long shot

First things first, the NBA meets NHL here. Second thing, Niko Mikkola, ice hockey defenseman of the Florida Panthers, ended the Florida Panthers versus Montreal Canadiens' NHL match with a stupid, dangerous, and reckless long shot - according to the TSN Hockey Analyst Martin Biron.



Now, how is Niko Mikkola's shot related to NBA or basketball? The last-second long shot goal which Nikko Mikkola hit into the net is usually a fruit of the basketball. Meaning, that it's common in the NBA for a basketball player to hit a long shot from a sensible distance, often forming the three-point arc, and successfully entering the basket or hoop. This goal is called a field goal in basketball.



TSN Hockey Analyst Martin Biron pointed out this very thing on the Domino's That's Hockey Show, "You can say stupid, you can say dangerous, you can say reckless and all of that. Look, I get it, but it's not the basketball. There's not a three-point line and you know the puck has to be in before the buzzer. By the time Niko Mikkola had shot that puck, he knew that was not going to be the buzzer. You weren't going to get two goals out of that. So it was just plain old stupid."

Niko Mikkola was not trying to send a message, says Martin Biron

"Look, I have seen those types of things happen at the end of the game. I even saw Lyle Odelein years ago with Montreal(Canadiens) take a shot at the (Buffalo)Sabres' bench at the end of the game. He(Lyle Odelein) was trying to send a message. I don't think Niko Mikkola was trying to send a message. I think he was just frustrated.



The Florida Panthers are five(wins) and five(losses) in their last 10(NHL games). They were not playing well, and he(Niko Mikkola) was just trying to do something that he did not think about. So stupid, reckless, dangerous. Put it all together. That's why he got the fine today."

Niko Mikkola fined $5000 for unsportsmanlike conduct

NHL Player Safety shared a tweet which read,


"Florida's Niko Mikkola has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for unsportsmanlike conduct during last night's game against Montreal."


X users instantly reacted to this.


One X user wrote, "well folks, i suppose the old saying of "play till the buzzer" no longer rings true."


Another X user wanted votes, "Does he deserve this fine? YES or NO" 53.3% voted YES and 46.7% voted NO.


A third X user pointed out, "You aren't allowed to shoot the puck anymore?"


A fourth X user wanted a stricter rule applied, "Not even suspended..."


A fifth X user reacted, "Shooting the puck while there is still time on the clock. Oh my lord this league is soft"



Also Read: Skating in line with Sidney Crosby was rookie forward Rutger McGroarty’s best birthday present | NHL News - The Times of India




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