Dustin Byfuglien is a large man. The Winnipeg Jets defenseman is listed at 6’5, 265 pounds, and he has made it very clear that he’s not afraid to throw around that weight on the ice throughout the course of his NHL career.
On Sunday night in Winnipeg, St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester found himself on the wrong end of that weight, as Byfuglien absolutely crushed him in the corner late in the third period of the Blues victory. Bouwmeester isn’t a small guy himself, standing at 6’4 and weighing in at 212 pounds, but Byfuglien managed to send the St. Louis veteran flying into the boards with force.
It was very apparent that Bouwmeester and his teammates — especially Scottie Upshall — didn’t appreciate the hit from Byfuglien, who immediately had to drop the gloves to answer for the hit as a large scrum ensued. Ultimately, Byfuglien was hit with a two-minute minor for charging as a result of the hit, as well as a matching roughing minor alongside Upshall.
The Blues would go on to pot an insurance tally on the resulting power play, giving them a 4-2 lead that they would hold onto for the win. Winning feels good, but this probably does not.
