Blackhawks lose to Coyotes in violent Game 3

Blackhawks lose to Coyotes in violent Game 3

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UPDATE 12:30 p.m.: The Associated Press reports that Raffi Torres, the Phoenix Coyotes forward who knocked the Blackhawks’ Marian Hossa out of Tuesday night’s game has been suspended indefinitely. Torres is scheduled to face a hearing Friday with NHL officials in New York.

The Chicago Blackhawks suffered a tough loss Tuesday night in game two of their opening-round playoff series. The Phoenix Coyotes scored in overtime, taking the game 3 to 2.

It was a violent game at times. Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa was taken off the ice on a stretcher following an upper body blow to the face. The player who dealt the blow, Coyotes’ left wing Raffi Torres, was not penalized for the hit.

The Blackhawks, lead by coach Joel Quenneville, criticized the officiating after Tuesday’s game. Quenneville said the refereeing was a disgrace.

“It was brutal hit,” Quenneville said. “You could have a multiple choice question, it’s all the above.”

Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews said he doesn’t know what to expect any more from referees.

“When there’s a guy getting carried off on a stretcher, you’d think that there might be something wrong with what happened. Especially when they’re huddled around their goalie in this last game, and he keeps playing and our guy gets three games for it,” Toews said, referring to Blackhawks rookie Andrew Shaw, who was recently benched for three games for hitting Phoenix goalie Mike Smith in the second game of this series.

The Coyotes now lead the series 2 to 1 after last night’s win. The two teams are scheduled to face off again for game four on Thursday.