Was it high sticking or not in Game 2??

Mike Rupp goes over Game 2 of the Carolina Hurricanes vs the NY Islanders. What’s Mike’s reasoning as to why it wasn’t a high sticking from Martinook to Mayfield? Why can you NOT call that? Was it also a case of the linesman making the call vs a ref? Would Mike consider Game 2 a “dirty game”? How does he see the Rangers vs Devils series going? Did he prefer starting series’ on the road or at home, and how does he think that benefits a team?