SportsNet’s Ron MacLean Criticized Nazem Kadri For Taunting a Hostile Crowd After Racist Threats

Nazem Kadri scored a hat trick on Monday as the Colorado Avalanche took a 3-1 series lead over the St. Louis Blues. After the first goal he put his hand to his ear and briefly made a shush gesture to the crowd. It was a crowd full of angry fans giving him the middle finger. Maybe the same fans who had been sending Kadri death threats that police had to look into after the Avalanche player injured Blues goalie Jordan Binnington in Game 3.

Back on the ice, the Blues also tried to get back at Kadri throughout the game.

Blues forward Jordan Perron even appeared to throw an elbow after Kadri’s second goal.

The rules of hockey’s code seem to have blurred as the series has gone along. You would think that the racist death threats were the thing that was too much, but SportsNet’s Ron MacLean decided to call out Kadri during intermission. Not for hitting the goalie, but for his celebration, saying this about Kadri’s celebration: “That’s taunting and that’s going after a hostile crowd.”

THAT!? If you can’t do that to a crowd, what can you do? Kadri was asked about the fans and the threats on TNT following the game.

“Unforunately I’ve been dealing with that for a long time. You know, that’s sad to say, but that’s just the fact of the matter. I’m getting good at just putting it in the rear view mirror. It’s a big deal. I try to act like it’s not and just keep moving forward. That’s what I do. I know that doesn’t reflect, some of those messages I got doesn’t reflect every fan in St. Louis, but you know, for those that hate, that one’s for them.”

Just an ugly situation all around for the NHL.