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New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy unleashed a verbal attack on Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen after he was ejected for a hit on Alex Romanov that sent the defenseman violently crashing into the boards during Tuesday night’s game.
Rantanen, the Stars’ leading scorer with 27 points, hit Romanov from behind, sending him crashing head-first into the boards in the final minute of regulation. Rantanen received a 5-minute major penalty for boarding and was ejected from the game.
Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen is assessed a game misconduct penalty for tackling New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 18, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
But as Rantanen walked off the ice between the benches, the broadcast captured Roy’s verbal attack on the NHL player.
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“You’re not going to finish that game,” he was heard saying, apparently in reference to the two teams’ upcoming showdown in New York.
Although calmer after the game, Roy continued to shout the hit.
“I hope he recovers. Right now I don’t know exactly what it is,” Roy told reporters about Romanov.
“But all I’m going to say is, when you see the number, you have to say goodbye. Everybody knows that. You don’t get past the guy. And I’m proud of the way our guys handled it afterwards. Nobody was happy to see someone get hurt like that. Like I said, to me, it’s disrespectful to our guy.
The tense game ended with a 3-2 victory for New York after Wyatt Johnston’s potential game-tying goal with 0.1 seconds left was overturned by goalie interference. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
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“That shouldn’t be part of our game,” he added.
Romanov did not go to the hospital, but his immediate condition was unknown. The NHL Department of Player Safety will review the hit, but according to The Dallas Morning News, Rantanen is not expected to face further disciplinary action.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan defended Rantanen after the game, saying he believed Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield clipped the forward’s skate, causing him to make contact with Romanov.
Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen is taken off the ice after receiving a misconduct penalty in a game in Dallas on Nov. 18, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
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“It’s just one of those hockey plays that happened. I hope Romanov is OK,” he said. “It’s a dangerous move for everyone.”
The tense game ended with a 3-2 victory for New York after Wyatt Johnston’s potential game-tying goal with 0.1 seconds left was overturned by goalie interference.
