2009 NHL Playoff Thread

Rangers said Betts suffered a concussion and fractured orbital bone.

 

Shoulder hits are now illegal and deserving of five-game suspensions?

If Scott Stevens were still playing, he'd be looking for a drifter to kill.

Oh, but, then again, under the NHL's Multi-Tiered Punishment Policy, a star like Stevens wouldn't be sanctioned for a hit like that, late or not. Kinda like how they look the other way on Chris Pronger incidents that would see other guys gone for several games.

And the Rangers, for whom I already had nothing but contempt, are the last organization that should go whining to the NHL because of unruly fans. I'm not defending the Washington fans, just pointing out that MSG crowds are notorious, and have been for years, for much of the same crap.

 

Bullshit, not even close to being right, the hit was late there was no elbow and he broke the orbital bone when he hit the ice. Maybe one game, games in the playoffs are worth double what they are in the regular season. Look back at other suspensions for incidents that are like this. The only reason he got the amount he did was because his last name is Brashear and not Ovechkin.

Now if you want to start suspending everybody for the same hit then fine, but the consitency of suspensions in the NHL is a joke.

By the way I hate Brashear, he's a world class asshole

Edit: JJ beat me to it

 

I haven't watched a hockey game in years, but I turned on the Caps game yesterday out of loyalty to my local team. If that hit by Brashear is worth a six-game suspension, I'm wondering if hockey has become a lot less violent than I remember it or imagined it. It might not be a bad thing necessarily, but I was shocked at the punishment.

 

It was dirty because it was mildly late. Not even close to a 5 game suspension, especially if those 5 games are playoff games.

 

Well, yeah, it was a six-game suspension BECAUSE his name was Brashear. Sean Avery would have gotten the same suspension for the same hit. As would Colton Orr.

There's no doubt there's a star system in play in the NHL, but when goons and instigators do what goons and instigators do, they're punished more heavily than say if Rick Nash pulled that move. The crap Brashear was pulling pre-game showed a level of pre-meditation.

Mind you, I'm a Caps fan, and I'm not the least outraged with the suspension.

 

http://rangers.lohudblogs.com/2009/04/27/bites-broken-bones-no-apologies/

AFTERNOON UPDATE, 12:44 P.M.: Here’s the text of Larry Brooks of the Post having the guts to go face-to-face with Tortorella, and Tortorella stubbornly refusing to take any responsibility, or to be accountable, for his actions in D.C. that left his team short-handed for a crucial playoff game:

LB: Your response to being suspended?
JT: “I have no response. I’m not discussing that.”
LB: “You’re not discussing the fact that you were suspended for a playoff game?”
JT: “That’s just what I said. I’m not discussing that. Next question.”
LB: “You’re unbelievable, John. Unbelievable.”
JT: “You guys have your opinions on that, write ‘em.”
LB: “So, like, a player commits a mistake during a game, he doesn’t have an obligation to talk about it?”
JT: “You guys think you’re entitled to all information, Larry. I’m not giving you any information.”
LB: “I’m not asking for information. I’m asking your opinion of being suspended in the middle of a playoff series.”
JT: “You have an opinion. You don’t need me in the conversation.”
LB: “I need your opinion.”
JT: “You don’t need mine, and I’m not gonna give it to you. Next question, please.”

 

Hit was marginally late if at all. Shoulder to head hits are legal (elbows are not).

 

I hate the Rangers, but that suspension is ridiculous.

Explain to me why he deserved 5 games. What was dirty about the hit other than being mildly late? Go back and look at suspensions that are 5 games or longer, it is tough to get a 5 game suspension ESPECIALLY IN THE PLAYOFFS. Does anybody remember Prongers elbows? This is the NHL having the opportunity to say we are tough on crime and it's complete bullshit if you've followed along.

 

Yeah, you've got a point. The league probably overreacted because Betts was severely injured on the play. And I thought he threw an elbow, not his shoulder. But I didn't watch a replay so I'll take your guys' word on that one. What was dirty was that it was a blow to the head from the blind side well away from the puck, and because it was Brashear, they conclude it was predetermined and the only intention was to injure or send a message.

Now is that worth five games? I don't know. There was definite malice involved. Just watching the play, Brashear's only intention was to injure Betts. At least it looked that way to me.

 

Oh, sure there was malice involved. It is Brashear, after all. I'm just saying, if Chris Pronger makes that hit, he gets one game, max. But if Scott Stevens makes that hit, not only does he not get suspended at all, he gets called a "warrior," it makes a Top 10 "greatest hits" list on TSN and it gets shown again and again on highlight reels as Stevens goes into the Hall of Fame.

 

Agreed completely JJ. I take it you're not a huge Stevens fan.