[EricH]

Originally Posted by Marc S.

If you look closely, you received a red card for pushing an oponent into your lane, not for defending. It is a red card in the rules(i don't remember which number). It is a red card because normaly they would get a penalty, but because you caused them to cross the line, it is a red card on you.
Hope this clears this up.

If the refs told them that they got it for egregious behavior, and the refs told them that it was due to the side hits, then THAT is what they got the card for.

You may be thinking of the <G33> exception to <G61>; however, that violation is only a yellow card.