NHL defenseman K’Andre Miller got himself in some hot water with the league and was due a Monday hearing after spitting in the face of an opposition player on Sunday night.
The New York Rangers player was caught on camera as he blew a large spitball into the face of Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty during Sunday’s game. He was handed a match penalty and ejected from the game.
Miller has since apologized for his actions as part of a tweet in which he claimed the incident was accidental. He also revealed having apologized to Doughty in person after the game, thanking his opposite number for the opportunity to do so.
Doughty said he was caught off guard, noting he had never seen anything like this in a game before and was upset to have gotten spit in his face, whether or not the incident was accidental.
“I was just shocked obviously,” he said. “I don’t even know if I said anything to him after. You don’t want to see things like that in this game. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that. I’m sure it has happened, not that I’ve seen. It’s unfortunate.
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“Whether or not he meant to do it, I have no idea. It’s pretty big loogie on my face, so I was pretty (miffed).”
Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant told reporters Miller had explained to him he did not mean to spit in Doughty’s face and felt bad about the whole thing.
“The kid feels bad about it,” the coach said. “He said it was an accident.”
Miller, who has played in 60 games for the Rangers this season, has six goals and 30 points to his name, as well as a total of 39 penalty minutes following the 15 he was given on Sunday.
The 23-year-old was drafted 18th overall by the Rangers in 2018 but his contract did not begin until the 2020/21 campaign.
