Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes heard some chirps that were out of line during their game against the Islanders. Now, fans are praising Dobes for speaking up and say the league needs to address the problem.
On Saturday, the Canadiens defeated the New York Islanders 7–3 in a feisty, emotional game. Montreal scored four unanswered goals in the third period to secure the win. Both teams currently sit in playoff positions, with the Islanders holding the final Eastern Conference wild card spot.
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Over-the-line chirps
Chirping and trying to get under an opponent’s skin is part of the game, and it can be entertaining for fans when players are caught on mic trading verbal jabs. But in Saturday’s game, Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, who was on the bench, heard some chirps between the benches that crossed the line.
“There was something that one player said on the other team that probably shouldn’t be said. I just told the referees, ‘please be careful, this stuff doesn’t belong in the game.’ And I told him, ‘hey, don’t act like that,’” Dobes told reporters.
Jakub Dobes praised by fans
Now, fans are calling on the NHL to take action against chirping that goes too far, including slurs or other derogatory language. They are also praising Dobes for speaking up to both the officials and the player who crossed the line.
”Freaking love this guy more and more. He can be my goalie any day,” one fan wrote on X.
“Personal chirps are out of line. Verbal barbs should never get into someone’s personal life,” another wrote.
“Refs should be listening,” a third added.
“Yeah, I hope more players are willing to do this. Hockey culture won’t get better otherwise. These guys are role models, and change starts at the top,” a fourth wrote.
The NHL has not yet commented on whether it will look into what was said. You can watch Dobes’ interview below.
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