Initially, I thought Wideman had intent; but after seeing the other camera angle from TSN, my opinion has undergone a complete 180. In the other (overhead) camera angle, Wideman bumps into the referree and then extends his arms and pushes him. In the familiar from-the-back angle, when Wideman bumps into the linesman, it looks like one complete motion with him pushing afterwards; hence, why it looks so violent.
This makes alot of sense. Wideman in his career hasn't been known as a dirty player. The only incident that I can think of where he walked along the line would be when he jumped Kesler; but that, imo, was moreso Kesler than Wideman.
Also, does it make any sense that Wideman would skate half the ice to deliver a violent crosscheck to a linesman, when its well-known to not even lay a finger on them?
The more I think about it, the more it's painfully obvious that it was incidental and an overreaction from some people (and understandably so), due to the misleading, initial camera angle.
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