Matt Carkner did not enjoy Brian Boyle’s goading of Erik Karlsson into matching roughing penalties in Game One. It was a tactical move by Boyle and not one in which Karlsson was in any real danger. Nonetheless, I don’t expect the Senators to be okay with that and to not answer for it.

But there is a right way and wrong way to deal with it. There is the Chris Neil method of throwing a hit on Boyle and then challenging him to a fight. And then there is the Matt Carkner method seen above: blindsiding an unaware Boyle and then throwing punches while he lays there defenseless. But Matt Carkner would like to inform you exactly who is to blame in the situation.

Carkner: “Boyle’s a big guy and I expected him to fight. He could’ve just held on to me. He didn’t & now I’m here talking to you & League.” — Erin Nicks (@erinnicks) April 15, 2012

Yes, Matt. It is totally reasonable to assume that Brian Boyle is going to anticipate you skating right to him with absolutely no intent on making a hockey play but with the sole purpose of throwing punches. Brian Boyle chose not to “hold on to you” and now you’re discussing it with the league. It’s his fault. You’re not accountable for your own actions. You’re not accountable for disregarding the play on the ice and initiating everything in the first place.

As I mentioned earlier, Brian Boyle did stick up for himself and answer the bell when Chris Neil approached him about it in the right way. But since you’re going to belittle Boyle for not accepting your “challenge” I’ll ask; what was stopping your teammates from dealing with Boyle in Game One? Why did they have to wait for you to deal with it yourself in Game Two? If you want to address accountability then start in your own locker room. Because if none of your teammates had enough of a problem with what Boyle did to approach him in the correct manner then maybe you had no business approaching Boyle at all, much less blindsiding him and punching him while he returned no fire.