from Frank Seravalli of TSN,

Of all the opponents to accidentally spear in the groin, Zdeno Chara would probably not be high on anyone’s list. But that’s who Ott caught with a crotch shot last October – on the first shift of a game, no less.

“I wasn’t out there going ‘Oh, I’m gonna spear Chara,’” Ott said, laughing, on Wednesday. “The puck got chipped in. I went to brace myself, my arms were out. He kind of let off. I followed through, thinking I’m pre-bumping, and I speared him right in the [groin].”

A scrum ensued. Ott and Chara were each given two-minute minor penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct. Ott said he apologized and nothing more was made of the incident.

“It wasn’t dirty or malicious,” Ott said. “I didn’t have any intent to hurt him. That’s a situation that just happens sometimes.”

The same can’t be said for every stick to the groin, especially recently. Ott couldn’t put his finger on why, but spears to the family jewels appear to be a growing trend – with at least four high-profile cases earning scrutiny in the last month.

That kind of stick work is one of the few on-ice incidents that can make 19,000 fans of both teams groan in unison in an arena.

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