Penalty box officials in the NHL seem to have a pretty sweet job. They track penalties, make sure players don’t leave the penalty box too early and have a pretty incredible view of the action on the ice. The downside is they’re sometimes confined with some really, really angry players.

When Nazem Kadri of the Toronto Maple Leafs was sent off for cross-checking late in the third period against the Florida Panthers, one penalty box official got a little too close to the action.

The butt of Kadri’s stick flew up and caught this unlucky official directly in the face. As you might expect, the official wasn’t too happy and immediately confronted Kadri. We can only imagine what was said between the two, but we’re guessing Kadri felt pretty stupid.

Kadri is actually pretty lucky he didn’t pick up any additional discipline for his reckless behavior. The men in the penalty box are officials just like the ones in stripes out on the ice. Hitting one in the face, whether it was an accident or not, could have resulted in more penalty minutes, a fine or even a suspension.

Kadri is often credited for playing on an edge, but sometimes he’d benefit from slowing down and taking a more calculated approach on the ice. Doing so may result in fewer penalties and keep him away from innocent officials who have no place to run.

About David Rogers

Editor for The Comeback and Contributing Editor for Awful Announcing. Lover of hockey, soccer and all things pop culture.