Andrew Shaw is known for playing on the edge, and sometimes going over it.
Both cases were evident in Game 4 against the St. Louis Blues when he scored the Blackhawks' first goal by battling for position in front of the net, and later when he committed a deflating interference penalty in the final two minutes of a 4-3 deficit, and the frustration that followed by recklessly shouting a homophobic slur at the official who made the call.
Shaw issued a statement Tuesday, and elaborated on his apology with reporters, saying "I let my emotions get the better of me" and made "no excuses" for his actions.
Here's what possibly helped trigger Shaw's emotions to run so high:
In the second period of a 1-1 tie, Duncan Keith scored on the power play to give the Blackhawks their first lead of the game. Seconds after the puck had went in, Shaw took a vicious cross-check to the head by Troy Brouwer, with the official breaking up a potential scuffle before it escaladed.
Fast-forward to the penalty he committed in the final stages of the third period, and Shaw was tagged for a similar play — although not to the head — yet was quickly penalized for it during a crucial moment of the contest.
"The consistency went out the window with that call," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said after the game.
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After Shaw's penalty ended, the Blackhawks took an offensive zone draw with 0.3 seconds remaining. As soon as the puck dropped, Blues forward Alex Steen appeared to have speared Shaw in the groin area, which eventually sparked a line brawl.
Check out the video above to see multiple angles of each instance.