Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo EJECTED for SPEARING Lightning forward Corey Perry

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo was ejected from a game last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning for spearing Corey Perry.

After a scrum in front of the net with 2:40 left in the third period, Philly’s James van Riemsdyk attempted to poke in a shot when he was grabbed by Michael Eyssimont.

DeAngelo saw his teammate get grabbed, but went one step too far by spearing Perry. Chaos ensued as DeAngelo was surrounded by Lightning players who began chasing him and piling on top – including Perry.

DeAngelo was sent to the box, received a five-minute major penalty and a misspelling for his conduct.

A spearing penalty is imposed when a player sticks his hockey stick into a player – always with the intent to injure. Under the rule, if a javelin attempt fails to make contact, a player is still given a double minor penalty and must spend four minutes in the penalty area.

If it makes contact, it’s an automatic major penalty and foul play – sending the player off the field and requiring another teammate to sit in the penalty area for five minutes.

According to the rule, spearing occurs when a player thrusts his stick at another player with the stick blade

Spearing results in a double minor if it fails to make contact, or in this case a major penalty and a game misconduct – which carries a five minute power play and an ejection

In a post-game press conference, DeAngelo said he was challenging Perry to a fight, but the Lightning forward would not accept.

“He tried to cut my stick out of my hands a second before. He talks the whole game,” DeAngelo said. “I asked him to fight, he doesn’t want to fight.

“He’ll tell you he’s been asking me to fight for years. I’m not saying no. But tried not to give him a chance [where it landed]. Replay probably looks worse.’

Flyers head coach John Tortorella said he didn’t see the replay, but had players tell him it seemed intentional.

“I didn’t see the clip of what happened,” Tortorella said. “Guys in the room said it was pretty obvious what happened.”

“That’s the line you walk, as far as you go over the edge. I want him to have his personality, to have that competitiveness.

“Some guys I’ve been in, I wish a little bit of that would transfer to them. But again, I didn’t see it, but I think he may have gone too far.’

“You have to be careful, and that’s easy to say,” Tortorella continued. “But that’s part of who Tony is, and I think he’s done a pretty good job this year of staying on that line and competing.”

Perry (10) and his teammates all went after DeAngelo and piled on him in retaliation

DeAngelo has a history of controversial behavior – including physical and verbal abuse

After the game, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that DeAngelo would hold a hearing for his conduct – possibly to review further penalties.

One thing to consider when it comes to the likelihood of a suspension is DeAngelo’s history of questionable behavior – dating back to his days as a junior hockey player in Canada.

He was suspended twice from the Ontario Hockey League for violating its harassment, abuse and diversity policy by using unspecified slurs – with at least one against a teammate.

In Arizona, he was suspended for three games for physically assaulting an official and fined nearly $15,000.

While with the New York Rangers, he famously had a physical altercation with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev – with New York immediately putting him at bay the next day.