Many siblings grow up dreaming of entering the box score together in a big-league sporting event.
Few make that dream a reality, though, and even fewer make it a reality in the way Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Senators right wing Mathieu Joseph did Friday night.
In Pittsburgh’s 4–1 win over Ottawa, which doubled as the first matchup between the Joseph brothers in the NHL, both Pierre-Olivier and Mathieu were assessed penalties at the same time. The Josephs were simultaneously called for high-sticking at 13:02 of the third period.
"I don't know if they thought this is going to be funny or something that we're both going to get a penalty at the same time,'' Mathieu told reporters postgame. "But stuff happens. I'm sure my parents had a good laugh about it, but I didn't think it was funny.''
The Josephs' parents, indeed, appeared to find the situation hilarious.
According to ESPN, the last time two brothers were assessed penalties simultaneously came on April 7, 1997. Hartford Whalers center Keith Primeau fought Sabres center Wayne Primeau and both received fives minutes for fighting in Hartford’s 4–2 win.