NHL Playoffs 2012 Edition

Jason P wrote:

He left his feet and has a bad history ... and Shanny is already taking all sorts of heat ... I think Torres is done for this year.

I agree with you but here is a question for you. if you are the GM of the Cotes, would you not be pissed at Shanny for suspending your player but Neale from Pittsburgh gets nothing for his hit?

Just like what Toews said yesterday, we have no idea what is running in these people heads.

lukin2006 wrote:

Rinne is one of the best in the world. Has it occurred to Detroit that maybe they are not built for the playoffs anymore. Both Hudler and Filipila had fine seasons but the playoffs are a whole different animal, you must pay a much higher price in the playoffs. 2 things I really think the wings lack true grit from their forward and playoff snipers. I think Howard's a fine goalie but he's not on the same levels as a Rinne, Quick or a Lundquist.

Unfortunately for the Detroit fans that's unlikely to change anytime soon.

Helm was a big loss. That was a high-energy line and could catch teams off-guard. And I think Hudler lost a step in his KHL experiment and have not been impressed with him at all this year.

I just wish there was a way to toughen Ericsson up. Perhaps a soap-bar beating ala Full Metal Jacket in the offseason ...

fife wrote:

sorry man, but the Neale hit was just as bad as the Torres hit yesterday. first off the puck was no where to be found and secondly, he jump up and hit him. that deserves atleast 2-3 games in my opinion. second, the hit on Claude was right to the head of a player who has had a concussion this year and deserved more than 1 game for that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAFjvfA8zqk

around 2:22

dude ... i've watched this hit a bunch of times ... watch the way the play is unfolding ... there is no reason to hit him ... factor in that he hits him by bringing his arms in ... he leaves his feet because he wants to initially avoid him but realizes its too late ... he doesn't extend his arms ... he's trying to get to the boards to get to the puck ... that is my objective opinion after watching it a bunch of times from all angles ... neal says as much afterwards ... if he wanted to hit him ... he would lead with his shoulder instead of his face and chest ...

the giroux hit is harder to dissect as a lot happens really fast ... mainly giroux still had the puck and his head was lowered ... in order for neal to hit him any lower ... he would literally have to bend down ... i think giroux is guilty of embellishing here ...

but really tho ... i don't see me convincing any flyers fans of it ...

I feel if Neal didn't want to hit Coots then he would've stayed in a more crouched, legs bent skating motion and actually skate around him. He stops skating. With the hit on G, G's head is lowered because he's ducking to avoid a kill shot.

polaris_x wrote:

JK_Livin wrote:

I feel if Neal didn't want to hit Coots then he would've stayed in a more crouched, legs bent skating motion and actually skate around him. He stops skating. With the hit on G, G's head is lowered because he's ducking to avoid a kill shot.

obviously, it's up for interpretation ... but the neal hit on couturier has that deer in the headlights thing written all over it ... that's how i see it and that's what neal said as well post-game ... i don't know many players who try to fake hit someone ...

neal has to hit giroux ... he's got the puck making a play almost in front of the net ... i don't think it was a deliberate shot to the head ...

It clearly was on purpose. He went after 2 different guys on the SAME shift within seconds of each other!
Whenever you "accidentally" run into someone, you dont jump upwards in the air towards that person with a forceful action. Neal was mad. He didnt try to avoid Couturier, accidentally hit him, then skate down into the offensive end and proceed to head hunt Giroux. He was going for both players.

g under p wrote:

Big debate down here in S Florida on sports talk radio on the need for fighting in the NHL. Having played the game in 3 formats ice, roller and street, I believe there's NO Need for it in the NHL.To me It's an added attraction for the sport that NO OTHER sport allows that I can think of... only the NHL can say this. As the sport is rising in popularity I just don't see the need...in the AHL, college it's frowned upon so why have it in the pros.

Yes the officials allow the enforcers to let go of there frustrations and protecting thier more skilled players but for me let the skating and skills of the players rule not their fists. That said HOCKEY is by far the most exciting playoff sport to watch just over the NFL in that you can watch it every other night rather than once a week. Anybody every flip back and forth from playoff NHL to a NBA game it's a huge difference.

Peace

I like it. It keeps the players emotionally jacked and the fans even more entertained than they already are. As long as boxing and especially MMA is allowed, I don't see the problem, and it remains untrue that it's not allowed in other sports. In MMA they beat the living shit out of each other and it's one of the fastest growing spectator sports in North America. So a few hockey fights where they get a cut once in a while doesn't seem so bad to me, especially since they're consenting adults. I don't think that it overshadows hockey skill in any way, shape or form, and therefore doesn't degrade the sport, IMHO.

Indefinite suspension for Torres, pending a hearing on Friday.

Dr. Delight wrote:

It clearly was on purpose. He went after 2 different guys on the SAME shift within seconds of each other!
Whenever you "accidentally" run into someone, you dont jump upwards in the air towards that person with a forceful action. Neal was mad. He didnt try to avoid Couturier, accidentally hit him, then skate down into the offensive end and proceed to head hunt Giroux. He was going for both players.

if that's how you see it ... not a whole lot i can say ... guys don't hit with their hands in their chest ... they either hit with their shoulder or they punch out with their fists like schenn did ... and what was neal to do with giroux!? ... guy has the puck in the slot?? ... do nothing? ... the way giroux turned and embellished the hit made it way worse than it was ... look at guys who get hit in the head (alfredson and sedin) ... they don't come back ...

polaris_x wrote:

Dr. Delight wrote:

It clearly was on purpose. He went after 2 different guys on the SAME shift within seconds of each other!
Whenever you "accidentally" run into someone, you dont jump upwards in the air towards that person with a forceful action. Neal was mad. He didnt try to avoid Couturier, accidentally hit him, then skate down into the offensive end and proceed to head hunt Giroux. He was going for both players.

if that's how you see it ... not a whole lot i can say ... guys don't hit with their hands in their chest ... they either hit with their shoulder or they punch out with their fists like schenn did ... and what was neal to do with giroux!? ... guy has the puck in the slot?? ... do nothing? ... the way giroux turned and embellished the hit made it way worse than it was ... look at guys who get hit in the head (alfredson and sedin) ... they don't come back ...

He leaves his feet and is clearly gunning for his head with his left elbow. It's clear as day. The only reason Neal escaped more suspension was because Giroux ducked and missed most of the blow and therefore didnt suffer any injury. Same on the Couturier hit. The ruling was based on outcome of the hits. If either guy is injured you can damn well be assured the suspension would have been longer than 1 game.