The NHL has issued its rulings, with Martin Hanzal getting a one-game suspension for his hit on Dustin Brown, but with no supplemental disciplined issued to Shane Doan, Derek Morris or Mike Smith for their respective hits. Members of the Kings’ front office, perhaps not surprisingly, are said to be privately seething that the players weren’t punished further.
Regardless, once again the focus today is on hits, not hockey. The placement of Brendan Shanahan in the league-discipline chair, and Shanahan’s video explanations, were supposed to improve the issue, but it hasn’t. There is still way too much uncertainty and debate. Where there needs to clarity, there are questions. Unfortunately, in this case the league might also have to deal with questions about fairness, given that it has been owning and operating the Coyotes.
Should Hanzal have received more than one game? Two wouldn’t have been out of the question. Should at least one of the other players have been suspended? Perhaps, but therein lies the problem. Not only have those types of hits not been eliminated — even in the playoffs — but the uneven and questionable supplemental discipline has taken the focus off where it needs to be: the ice. What do you think?
Hanzal should’ve gotten 2. Maybe a fine for Smith
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PRMan Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 6:58 am
@McD, This.
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Smith should have atleast been fined
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NMKingsFan Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
@GravelPitKings, I agree, Smith should have gotten a fine for that slash.
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Nikko Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
@GravelPitKings, agreed. Just to show that crap isn’t tolerated. Thank god brownie is made of steel!
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Cav Pilot Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
@Nikko, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’ll bet he was hurting when he woke up this morning. I’m guessing his neck was so stiff he could barely turn his head. Probably has some bruising on the back of his calves as well. Not bad enough for a scratch but it still hurts.
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David R Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 8:53 pm
@Cav Pilot, yes, and ive skated with minor bruises on my lega nd it sucks, so I cant even begin to imagine what it might feel like for him. The league needs to figure something out about this, because they’ve protected the goalie from player’s, but what about the other way around?
Dan H. Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
@GravelPitKings,
Agreed. Smith needed SOMETHING.
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Ditka Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 10:41 am
A good stick to the neck would be good. Put Scuderi in and let him loose on the Smith.
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Brian Willis Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
@GravelPitKings, Yes. Smith should have been fined. I was expecting at least that. What if a game misconduct is an automatic suspension susceptible to review for greater than one game? Doan has a record! No fine? No suspension? The one good thing is that I know our Kings are going to take out their frustrations on the ice, legally. The steamroller is back on for Game 3!
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Kings11 Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
@Brian Willis, I don’t know how Shanahan, after his recent criticism on intolerable hits, allows Doan to slip through the cracks on this one. He received a major and game misconduct, and should be facing at least a two-game suspension, if not the rest of the series.
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pucku Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 7:52 am
@Kings11, I’m a HUGE Kings fan (since I was 6 years old) and have been playing for 30+ years. Doan should not have gotten a suspension for that hit. Lewis turned at the last second and there’s no way Doan could have stopped at that point.
However, Smith should have DEFINITELY gotten a fine at the very least. That was unbelievable!!!
CosmicQueso Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:45 am
@Kings11, If you think that, you’re saying it with your heart, not your head. As Shan discussed, it was a clean hit until Lewis turned towards the boards at the last second. A boarding yes and a misconduct, but that was not intentional nor malicious.
Mars Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
@GravelPitKings, Agree Smith should have received a fine.
I would have liked to see two games for hANzAl but, one is a start.
It did take WAY to long to get the news out. Especially since there was only ONE game last night and they were all there.
A fine Really should have been placed on Smith, something had to go on his record, cause the next one will be a light punishment as a first offense. Bad call on doing nothing.
The Doan one I agree with, the other I didnt even think it was going to be an issue.
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dahack11 Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
@GravelPitKings, well…….without punishment, every goalie now knows he can get away w/ what Smith did…….right?
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Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:35 pm
@dahack11, they’ve gotten away with it since before they wore masks… it’s a terrible, nasty, vicious…hockey play.
Does anyone know if an injury has ever occured from a goalies slash? I can’t think of one.
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dahack11 Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
@Stuart, Ok, so Quick can deliver the same slash to Doan & Whitney & whoever else HE decides he doesn’t like at that moment, i reckon…
mtburf Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:13 pm
@Stuart, I thought when Handzel got 8 games he broke (or fractured) the players leg, but I could be mistaken
Cookmoval Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
@Stuart, Smiths intent was to injury the top player (Brownie) on the opposing team. A fine should have been the minimum.
Stuart Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 7:54 am
@dahack11, absolutely! JQ could swing his stick at whoever he wants. The result will be a 2 minute slash.
@Cookmoval, I don’t think a fine would’ve been out of the question, but I believe it would’ve been unprecedented.
mtburf Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
@GravelPitKings, I personally think he should have been suspended a game for the slash. Whether players have gotten away with worse in the past is not the issue. If you don’t start setting the example, it will continue, and that was a bad slash.
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AL Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
@GravelPitKings, I’d like to see the Kings players return the hits but that would be a stupid move on our boys part. Play smart and finish these cheap shooting coyotes
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RLane420 Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:56 pm
@GravelPitKings, Agreed, that slash is 100% intended to injure. Should at the very least been a fine.
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lvkingaholic Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
@RLane420, it was so blatant that the zebras were stunned………. but i liked the diving call though…..
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IceGuy Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:40 pm
@lvkingaholic,
Over at TSN, Kerry Fraser had this to say:
“When I saw Smith raise his paddle and swing it down hard to the back of the leg/knee area of Brown, the severity of the contact crossed the line for me from being a simple minor slashing infraction to a major penalty. This was designed to hurt a player and not just send him a minor message as to where the goal crease was. Brown had not made contact with Smith, was positioned outside of the goalie’s crease and did nothing to provoke this hard swing of the goal stick to an unprotected area. It could only be described as a demonstration of frustration on the part of Mike Smith and/or that he took a gamble that a third penalty would not result so he had a ‘freebie’ coming his way. I guess you could say he gambled correctly when offsetting penalties were assessed on this play.
Back to back major penalties would certainly be a tough call for any referee to make but I would have applauded it in this case. This was a player safety and player accountability issue and deserved a major penalty to establish and maintain appropriate use of the stick for the balance of the series.”
Obviously Bettman, Campbell and Shanahan disagree. Losers all.
CMaldo Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
@GravelPitKings, I think disciplining Smith above and beyond the 2 minute penalty was not warranted. It was a cheap and dirty play, but hacking and slashing occurs all over the ice by ALL the players.
I think what the NHL needs is an intermediate action in situations like this. No action is not the right message to send, it in no way discourages players from repeating the offense. A suspension, in this instance, I feel, is too severe.
The NHL should, in a situation such as this have a conversation with the player and coach in regards to the incident. The player should then have to go a certain period of time, say 5 games or so for example, with no further incidents. Sort of like a verbal warning. If that player is involved in another situation that is brought to the attention of the league, the initial infraction should become an automatic 1 game suspension in addition to whatever time the league feels the second infraction calls for.
This will at the very least acknowledge the situation which is what most of us want. An acknowledgement that what he did was wrong, and to discourage the player from doing it again.
This doesn’t affect the outcome of the game, which I am sure plays heavily on the decision to suspend a player or not.
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IceGuy Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
@CMaldo,
What then is the deterrent to prevent Smith from doing the exact same thing tomorrow night?
Dangerously slash and potentially injure a star player again.
Call him for what?
You give him a major penalty, and he says, “Tuesday it was OK. What changed?”
Matching minors? Goalies never serve their penalties anyway.
You ignore it, again, and goonery has established a legal space in the playoffs.
Shanahan & Bettman screwed the pooch on this one.
Someone will get hurt like this – and it will be their fault.
Which player’s career is worth Bettman & Shanahan’s situational morality on player safety?
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Mike Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:48 am
@IceGuy, A penalty is a penalty is a penalty; a dirty play is a dirty play is a dirty play, no matter when it happens and no matter who does it.
Diving on Brown?? Really??? No supplementary discipline for Smith or Doan??
I, for one (my own opinion) am not impressed AT ALL with the leadership or lack thereof in the front office of the league. As far as I’m concerned, Bettman, Murphy, Shanahan, the officiating, et al, should all be ashamed of themselves for backing up to the pay window, pretending to do something yet making the officiating of NHL games continually worse and worse.
CosmicQueso Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:48 am
@IceGuy, It’s hockey. Someone will always get hurt. Brownie gets in the heads of the other team by being an instigator. He wants other players to lose their heads and take dumb penalties. This one just didn’t get called his way. The next ones will. But you can’t give Brown a free pass to do whatever he wants and not expect players on the other side to respond.
David R Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 8:56 pm
@CMaldo, yeah, hacking and slashing should be two different things, right now it seems both are considered slashing. i would make hacking a more sever penalty, as hacking is a deliberate attempt to hurt, a slash is more going for the puck to aggressively I would say.
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Mike Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:53 am
@David R, They do have a provision in the rules for “intent to injure” an opposing player. Why not hand out some match penalties? Smith, I’m looking at you!
HockeyOnlyAwaitingModeration Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:34 pm
@GravelPitKings, Smith should have gotten a game misconduct and tossed, I’ve watched this cheap shot artist and have lost all respect for him as a goaltender. I remember when “The Rocket” was suspended for the entire Finals series and no Coyote is even close to being the hockey player Maurice Richard was.
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my vote is biased, as are most of ours. but if quick only got a penalty for his outburst that one time, then so should smith.
YES I KNOW, there is a big degree of separation between how hard one was compared to the other, but it is what it is.
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Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
@Lake Forest, obviously…
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
@Stuey,, Forestry
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Sean Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
@Lake Forest,
So if his axe breaks Brown’s leg it is a minor, although in this case Brown might get a double minor for delay of game as well (he took too long to crawl off). Each case needs to be evaluated individually and judgement made. There was a BIG difference in the severity of Smith’s UNPROVOKED swing (unless watching his team getting wiped from the playoff counts).
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mrbrett7 Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 6:39 am
@Lake Forest, What outburst?
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Mike Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:56 am
@Lake Forest, That’s what’s going to happen: another goalkeeper is going to do something, probably in real defense of his crease, and significantly less severe than what Smith did, and they’re going to throw the book at him. NHL justice is no justice at all, when levied by Bettman, Campbell, Shanahan, Murphy, et al.
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RICH, will we ever get your opinion? Just curious, I know that might lessen you from your journalist/reporting pedestal (sarcasm), but some of us respect your opinion, even if it’s just that and is irrelevant.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
@Lake Forest, Don’t you guys read between lines down in Orange County?
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Lake Forest Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
@Duncanz, Negative. hence the question.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:46 pm
@Lake Forest, I think Rich makes his feelings quite obvious.
SLIM Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:20 pm
@Duncanz,
Our Rich is a crafty human…
If he is indeed human…
I red between the black and white..
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paige Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 11:32 am
@Lake Forest, I think Rich might jump on the ice and take out Smith in game 3. By the way, did any of you go to AZ for the games? I had to be in Arizona for the grand opening of my two sisters’ winery, and it was awesome to speed by so many Kings stickers and Kings hats on the 10…I got stopped doing 100 but no ticket! Go Kings Go!
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Stuart Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 11:34 am
@paige, you must be purty…
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paige Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
@Stuart, Nope. I credit the Kings Karma.
He lists all the reasons for 1 game suspension. But there is one more reason he forgets to mention.
- Brown is the best player on the other team, Hanzal intended to hurt him and try to force him out of the game.
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AZ King Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
@zdfun,
so is the league supposed to give out longer suspensions when star players are hurt. Does that mean that if the situation was different, and Hanzel hit Lewis instead of Brown, that the discipline should be less severe.
I understand what you’re saying, but it seems a little too subjective to me.
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Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
@AZ King, but Shanny’s “justice” is subjective as well… as I said before, Bitz gets suspended while Weber gets fined. It’s a superstar league… it is what it is, a two-tier disciplinary system.
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AZ King Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
@Stuart,
Fair enough.
Diego Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
@AZ King,
If Lewis delivered that hit to Doana he’d be out.
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Smokachu Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 8:58 pm
@AZ King,
I think the notion is not that it was a “star player” involved, but that the player had obviously been targeted through the duration of the game, with the attack from Smith being a symptom of that. Star player aside precedence needs to be set. There’s nothing wrong with playing a star player hard, double teaming him or even roughing him up to try to slow down the hot players. But trying to take them out of the game? There’s nothing sporting about that.
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Mike Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:58 am
@AZ King, Welcome to NHL justice. There is NO objectivity in this!
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I didn’t expect Doan to be suspended. I didn’t expect Smith to be suspended, I didn’t expect Morris to get suspended, and I thought Hanzel would get one game. So this sounds about right to me.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
@AZ King, Troll?
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Lake Forest Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
@Duncanz, AZ King isn’t trolling
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Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
@Duncanz, nope, just lays low at times…
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IceGuy Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
@Stuart,
Basically what I expected from the Owners and Operators of the Phoenix Coyotes.
AZ King Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:35 pm
@Duncanz,
I think I’m offended
Like Stuart said, I’ve just been laying low lately. Getting ready to move half way across the country, and I barely have time to catch up on all of Rich’s posts.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
@AZ King, Ex Troll?
#marlin fishing
caliclimber Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
@AZ King,
They all got what I thought they would get. Doan got the game for his hit. I didn’t think they would do more than that. Morris’s kneeing was a good enough call on the ice. Hanzal could have gotten 2, but I’m fine with one. However, they let Smith off the hook. There was no way the league would suspend him (even though he deserved a game for ITI), but he should have at least been fined.
Brendan Shanahan get’s this years award for inconsistency.
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TheRussianKing Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
@AZ King, I agree but the cheap play should be addressed. They got embarrassed by our Kings and instead of playing hockey they just lost focus and got straight nasty. I’m glad the Kings stayed composed and really let the other team suffer for their mistakes. Hope our boys stay safe and healthy throughout the remainder of this series and that we take a healthy run at the cup. GKG!
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Jason Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
@AZ King, the only 2 I worry about are the brown and scuderi hits because they could be career ending. The Lewis and slash on brown aren’t the same
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HockeyOnlyAwaitingModeration Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:40 pm
@Jason, Sorry Jason, but the sledgehammer to the back of Browns legs or behind the knees could have finished him for a very long time and once again there was intent to maim or hurt. Billy Smith use to nail guys with his stick but never in the fashion that that jerk Smith did,
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The league was very soft on these guys. I expect them to keep crashing on Brown in game 3. That seems to be their game since they have none.
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mtburf Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:16 pm
@Nikko, Exactly correct, Yotes have no game so they resort to cheap shots. Still Smith should have been suspended a game IMO
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deepsea_drumz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
@Nikko, The officials will have to do a better job in L.A. It will be a very electric atmosphere. The Kings need to keep their heads in the game and not get side tracked from a desperate Coyotes team. But something tells me there may be some payback tomorrow night. The lads need to keep their heads up.
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Smith’s axe to brownies knees was intent to injure. That wasn’t a competitive jab at him. Brown did nothing but play well and let that talk. Smith was trying to take a hot player out. It should have been a suspension in my opinion.
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Mars Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
@Neil, BrownKnee’s? Get it?
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Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
@Mars, drumroll-hihat-cymbal-CRASH!
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dahack11 Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
@Neil, Agree Neil, & like I said above, the NHL & Shanahan just gave carte blanche to ALL goalies on what you can do to other players.
I try & call everything fairly….if Quick did that, he should be suspended. I’m ok w/ the Doan hit (i take more issue w/ the cross check to Mitchell’s throat in game one actually), but I didn’t like Morris’ knee (he should have been fined), & Hanzel should have gotten at least what Bitz got.
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Neil Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
@dahack11, Exactly. The Doan hit was “a hockey play”. It’s a tough sport and sucks it happened to Lewie but it happens. The knee was dirty. Like children they are getting frusturated and throwing tantrums. And I know when my son acts up like that, it’s time out to think about what he did haha
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deepsea_drumz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
@Neil, At least a game misconduct and fine to say the least. Send a message to the goons!
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HockeyOnlyAwaitingModeration Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:42 pm
@Neil, 1000% correct.
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5th
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
darn
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Real 7 Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
@Duncanz, 5th of what?
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Mars Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
@Real 7, Jack. What else?
Drink up Duncanz!
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If that hack was on the back of Crosby’s leg Smith would been suspended the rest of the playoffs, same goes for the check…if it was Crosby, Hanzal would been done for the year. Its not just the infraction but who’s on the other end and that makes this a joke!
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zulov Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
@Renbe, +1 good point.
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lvkingaholic Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:11 pm
@Renbe, we’ve been the nhl’s whippin boyz all year……… this has got to be killin ole gary..
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@KindSir posted this early in the game-time thread and I found it’s source – http://wap.yahoo.com/w/sports/home/experts/article?offset=0&urn=urn%3Anewsml%3Asports.yahoo%2Clego%3A19780928%3Atop%2Carticle%2C63d7fb29-bd31-3ce3-9697-fa4404943ef8-l%3A1&.ts=1337083812&.ysid=Bs.H4HvJ0YevdqyoWIvsqCPG&.intl=US&.lang=en
“At this point, there’s no going back to the drawing board. They are who they are – a superstar-less group that relies on the contributions of everyone who skates a shift – and Tuesday night they will be a team that will try to knock Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar into next week.
Yes, Game 2 is going to be physical because that’s the only way Phoenix can match up and win against L.A.
‘You got to be physical with these guys – take their time and space away from them,” said Coyotes center Martin Hanzal. When asked if that means things are about to get rough, Hanzal cracked a smile and said, ‘For sure.’”
Sounds like he was hunting, to me… that quote, coupled with the fact that he SHOVED DB should have gotten him 2 games.
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Mars Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
@Stuart, If they had seen that I would agree, doubt that news made it across their desks
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Should have forced smith to use a pool noodle instead of a goalie stick.
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Mars Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
@Danikjan, LOL
Too bad we can’t toss noodles onto the ice when the kings score
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The fact that the NHL has ownership in a team which is now in the playoffs (or in the NHL period) is a complete conflict of interest, and should be addressed legally. This is what dictatorial despotic governments do, it’s completely wrong and doesn’t have a place in any free market system IMO.
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Capt Jam Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
@jess,
That’s all good and well, but we’re not operating in a free market system. We’re operating within the NHL. We’re anything but free.
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jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
@Capt Jam,
The NHL operates within two free societies, mostly America but also Canada, and I’m not a lawyer, but I believe their ownership of PHX may violate anti-trust laws or a facet thereof.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
@jess, Sooooo, who’s bringin’ it ?
Capt Jam Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
@jess,
I’ve worked with many attorneys over the last 20-plus years and have had this conversation several times. The NHL temporarily operates PHX to keep the franchise afloat, not so that the league can squeeze out the other teams and ‘double dip’ as it were.
I just got back from PHX. Trust me, they ain’t making much money out there on that team if any at all.
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:57 pm
@Capt Jam,
While I concede your working with attorneys is knowledge much better than that available to myself minus further in depth inquiry. NHL has operated phx since 2009. That doesn’t sound temporary to me but I guess all of our lives, in regards to the longevity of the universe: “are just sparks off the campfire of time..”
-And one more thing. Power, at some critcal point, supercedes money by many a parsec.
I believe we are seeing that in some measure, in this circumstance.
FKA PakiFro Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
@jess,
They don’t run the team, they only fund it. And even then, Glendale put up a 25m bond each of the last two years to cover the losses. I’m not sure I buy any of the “NHL owns the yotes” conspiracy theories. They have no benefit in NOT punishing the Yotes the same way as the rest of the league. And Raffi Torres got 25 games…
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jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
@FKA PakiFro,
Bravo that torres got 25 games -which I was aware of. But the NHL owning the yotes is not a consipiracy theory, which may be a nice buzz phrase to throw up on the blog, but if it didn’t have some factual validity, Hammond wouldn’t have made mention of a “conspiracy theory”.
Here is a Wikipedia link which further explains the ownership in more detail.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Coyotes
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 10:40 am
@jess,
I’m aware that the league owns the team. I mean the conspiracy theories about them rigging the games in their favor or lighter suspensions or anything to the extent of the league favoring the coyotes on ice success over others.
HockeyNerd Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
@jess, In fairness(?) the league has been “equal opportunity”, that is they always give the Kings the short end of the stick no matter who the opponent.
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jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
@HockeyNerd, heehee
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Smith should have been fined for his blatant slash on Brown. That could have just as much injured Brown as the Hanzal hit. I agree with the Doan assessment. You even see Lewis pretty much make eye contact with Doan prior to turning and he turned way too late. Yeah, Doan has a rep for this stuff but at the end of the day that wasn’t a smart hockey play by Lewis.
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Think Smith should have got one but knew he wouldn’t.
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The Doan hit, Lewis turned.
The Hanzel hit, should have been two, but obviously that wasn’t going to happen.
More than the Smith wack, I think the Kneeing incident should have been a fine at least. The guy left his position to knee Scuds. That is the behaviour the NHL needs to eliminate, not hockey plays.
The Smith wack has done its damage. Smith’s stellar year will now be forgotton/minimized because of his behaviour throughout the playoffs. That, in my opinion, is worse than being suspended.
Go Kings Go!!!! Be ready tomorrow. Game three is sooooo important!!
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Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
@aKinginVancouver, I haven’t seen a knee out like that in a while… that was old school hockey right there. That play has ended more than one players careers and I thought we were passed those types of plays. I can understand when the knee gets flashed out in desperation, a bad bounce over your stick and the other guy is about to blow by you on a break so the knee comes out as a last ditch effort without any thought, a reaction almost…but Morris was gliding towards Scuds with his knee out a mile, the whole time!! Terrible play and def intent to injure. I forget what point in the game that was, but I thought a brawl would ensue…
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Shuchuk Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
@Stuart, 100% agree. Good thing Scufs was ok. Intolerable, Shanahan is a wimp.
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lvkingaholic Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:13 pm
@Stuart, remember allison’s kneeing…. i still cringe at the thought…..
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Stuart Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 7:57 am
@lvkingaholic, Andy Sutton… a name that will always live in infamy!
Personally, I think Brownie should have gotten at least 1 game, maybe 2, for his embellishment.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
@CWUB, Now that’s what I’M talking about?
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
@CWUB, Now that’s what I’M talking about!
[Reply]
Can we bring back Jay Wells…just to run the goalie? How about JP Kelly? He never escaped a scrap. Just pepper Lumber-Jack-Smith all night…forcing Phoenix to go with Jason LaBarbera – That be enough for me…
[Reply]
Mars Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
@Voice Of Reason, No way lets break smith entirely
[Reply]
I think it was the right call for Hanzal as he is not a repeat offender (should be though considering he elbowed Mike Richards in the head ealier this year after he came back from his concussion). Morris should have been fined though IMO. Smith…..While that slash bent me up all sorts of ways it happens all the time in hockey and has only ever warranted a minor penalty. Made me sick to my stomach for sure but the only offense i take to the calls on that play was Brown for embellishment.
[Reply]
Token Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, So if Brown whacks him back in the back of the knee, full swing, next game he gets a 2 min minor?
I’d take bets on that outcome.
[Reply]
HockeyOnlyAwaitingModeration Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:49 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Excuse me, but slashes like that DO NOT happen all the time, not even in the beer leagues.
[Reply]
RICH,
Are the guys staying in the downtown hotel tonight?
Sure hope so, been working good so far!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
@King Stalker,
Good luck you too!
[Reply]
King Cobra Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
@Duncanz, I take it your already in the lobby waiting….
[Reply]
My concern is that the league didn’t even address Smith’s slash. If Shanahan had come out and said that he felt it was a “hockey play that resulted in a penalty and no additional discipline is warranted”, at least then I would feel that league was looking at these types of dangerous plays.
By not even commenting on the incident, Shanny is essentially giving Smith (and any other goalie) the green light to assess the situation and see if that kind of thing is worth a two minute penalty.
[Reply]
IceGuy Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:47 pm
@Business Time,
So take Bettman at his word.
The next time he appears in public, someone steps up behind him and Tomahawks the back of his knee.
Lawyer Bettman can do nothing about the pain and suffering.
His (non) decision has set precedent. Two handed swings with a hockey stick to the back of someone’s legs does not constitute any Intent to Injure.
Enjoy your rehab and recovery, Gary.
He can write a book about it – “My Life in a Wheel Chair”.
[Reply]
Rate the referees of that game, here: http://wp.me/p24Z5B-72E! Every vote helps. I took notes last game here are my thoughts:
1st period non-call high sticking @ 10:05
end of 1st period interference on phoenix was not called
diving penalty on Brown at 2:00 in the 2nd? (I still do not understand this rule, how can someone get a penalty for slashing, and then the victim gets a penalty for diving.)
[Reply]
publicly the Kings are handling it the way they should imho but the league is a joke on how it handles officiating. try taking a person that has never watched hockey to a game and try to explain why sometimes something is called a penalty and other times what appears to be the same infraction is not. try to explain why they see 25 punches and shoves in one scrum after a whistle and only one player gets a penalty. officiating in the nhl is lousy at best.
[Reply]
vplaza Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
@yetiman_oc,
I agree. Come to think of it, the same can be said for every major sports league about their officiating as well.
[Reply]
❌TheAcaciaStrain❌ Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
@vplaza, Not the NFL. I’m not a fan but of there’s one thing the nfl is good at its officiating.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
@❌TheAcaciaStrain❌, I agree with you about Lieweke
but not here. Every play in the NFL can result in a penalty, yet only some are called. They are not officiating geniuses either, they just aren’t afraid to resort to instant replay.
Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
@yetiman_oc, but there’s a fine line. I’ve never been a referee, but it seems that they see what goes on, on the ice. They see players coming together, and they allow certain things to go on in scrums, and when they feel that things have just about evened out, they yell “enough” or something to that effect, and it’s when one of those players takes just one more silly swipe, that they get the 2-minute… Lesson: get your jabs in quick and early, and when the music stops, you stop and wait until the next scrum. You just have to learn to play the games within the games…
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
@yetiman_oc, Yes, but then you tell them it’s an esoteric game and that solves everything.
[Reply]
Let’s see the league owns the team and they get to decide how to discipline their players. Why would they ” bite the hand that feeds”?
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
@Cunning Plan, Equality?
[Reply]
So it strikes me that Smith knows he isn’t going to have to serve his penalty and in the situation of that moment the referees aren’t likely to call another minor penalty solely against the Coyotes so he might as well send Brown to tha box for a break. He either hurts him or goes off with him. It would certainly change his method of dealing with opponents if he had to serve his penalty and the back up had to come onto the ice. I just don’t see the officials calling a third minor along with the major/game in that situation. Historically you know they are either going to ignore it or call coincidental.
[Reply]
Honestly thought Brown should have gotten a couple game suspension for embellishment. Next time I smack the wife around, I’m going to have give her two minutes for embellishment. Bahahahahahaha (Disclaimer: In no way do I advocate smacking the wife around. What works for me may not work for everyone) BAhahahahahahaha
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
@BringbackButchGoring, now that is HILARIOUS!!! bwahahahahahaha! dude, that was comedy, I’m still laughing and I’ve read it three times already! I’ll have to share that one with the old lady!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
@BringbackButchGoring, Unfortunately,
I took yoy literally and put into practice what you said before reading the disclaimer.
Unfortunately, due to the first part of your idea, I am currently on my way to Emergency with two black eyes and a bloodied nose!
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
@Duncanz, you might have to tell Tex to take it easy on you next time!!! stick and move Duncz!!!
[Reply]
King Cobra Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 6:59 am
@Stuart, Laugh out loud funny!!
Hi Rich,
Thank you for your hard work. As a long-time reader, first-time commenter, I would like to post this link in honor of the Phoenix Coyotes (especially Mike Smith and Martin Hanzal):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF7ie_erQH0
[Reply]
From Shanahan’s perspective, it probably would be excessive to ban Hanzal from the rest of the playoffs so two game suspension would therefore be unfair.
[Reply]
People!!! Has anyone never seen a goalie take a 2-minute slashing??? I think it’s just because we’re not used to seeing our boys this far in the playoffs, but this happens all the time around this time of year! Imagine if dmen were allowed to smash forwards when they stand in front AS WELL as having goalies slash away at their knees/calves/ankles??? That’s what playoff hockey used to be all about. That’s the HARD part of the ice and where people don’t want to go because it HURTS!!! If that’s the worst abuse DB ever takes while he stands in front of the net, then I would count him as lucky. Maybe it’s appauling because we could never fanthom our very own JQ taking a swipe at someone like that, but mark my words, we will see JQ do something very much like that at some point in his playoff career… and then we’ll all agree, it was a goalie trying to protect his crease.
Jonesy has seen that all too much in his career and that’s probably why he wrote it off as a “hockey play…”
[Reply]
Osaka Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
@Stuart, Agreed! This is playoff hockey and I love it, don’t want to tame it. I just say the way goalies are protected now they aren’t held accountable for a slash like this because if a Kings player were to run him it would be a suspension.
[Reply]
luc20rules Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
@Osaka, I give Hansworth an assist on the 2 min minor on Brown for embelishing after this slash. He spent an entire series giving Brown backhanded complements on how he embelishes, dives, and instigates “Dirty plays” drawing penalties from opponents. Don’t think for a second the refs don’t watch other games, and this duck homer Hansworth’s Brown hating false corrupting words didn’t have some influence here.
[Reply]
King Cobra Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 7:08 am
@luc20rules, Hayward is a first Class A Hole and I hope he is reading the Blog.
perhaps it’s a lil’ shortsighted for the nhl to put all the onus on just one person, like shanahan, as this is his first foray into such a responsibility…
the video breakdowns, the rule book references and the resulting penalties have been debatable. at best…and i can’t imagine just one person, like shanahan, being the sole judge and jury in the future…who knows…?…something to be discussed in the upcoming cba talks…
football is going through a huge identity crisis with parents , kids and their uncertainty of the risk-factors in the sport…comparably, the concussion rate of those teenage participants who play hockey are even more alarming, as recent data shows that hockey’s concussion rate at the youth-level is several times more than youth football….
there are going to have to be changes to each sport – it’s sad but true….
the nhl seems to be at a crossroads, deciding how much of old time hockey can survive in a new world entertainment market…and it doesn’t help that the sale of the coyotes takes a backseat to these shenanigans…but one thing they might be able to fix immediately is the process on who can partake in the judging process…
shanahan has done an admirable job in a “can’t win” role…getting him some help in the form of a committee might make things more discernible, equitable and liveable…
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
@variable, Agree with all that. Shanny’s a good man!
But do you reeeeeeally think there is no consultation and no backroom committee working?
Must be a pretty lonely office.
[Reply]
variable Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
@Duncanz,
i don’t kknow how much consultation he receives…i imagine it’s per his request only…
[Reply]
Mars Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
@Duncanz, I think his hands are a bit tied like you stated, it has shown.
[Reply]
Maybe Shanny didn’t give Morris a suspension because he felt that Morris was just mad that his attempt at repeating his lucky goal against Quick failed in game 2. No intent to injure, just ticked off.
(end sarcasm)
[Reply]
Nothing on Doan – Lewis turned to play the puck but made himself vulnerable.
Nothing on Morris – The call was made on the ice.
Hanzal 2-5 games – Deliberate intent to injure – UNACCEPTABLE
Smith – 1-3 games – Deliberate intent to injure – UNACCEPTABLR
Conclusion: Shannaginans and the Department of Player SAfety has caused more problems than it prevented. Scratch it and go back to the drawing board with it.
The Kings are dominating ALL aspects of the game. Therefore, it makes no sense for the team to match these filthy Dogs goon tricks.
Sutter said it eloquently in his best Rocky Balboa voice “This is to be dealt with another time in another place”….I read that to mean “next season”. There will be plenty of opportunities for the Kings to extract retribution on Hanzal, Doan, Smith and Morris for their deliberate intents to injure Kings players. Pick any of the next six regular season games without risking suspensions during these playoffs.
In the meantime, the Kings will continue to embarrass the Dogs where it hurts the most:
THE EFFING SCOREBOARD!!!!
GO KINGS GO!!!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
@Gustavo, ” … exact ..,,”
[Reply]
PHX Coyotes…
-The General Motors of the NHL?
[Reply]
luc20rules Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@jess, I would think more like Countrywide Home Loans.
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:46 pm
@luc20rules,
Those are great loans!
-If you like living out of your station wagon.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:54 pm
@jesst,
I managed that even without a fancy loan.
The one time I made the mistake of going to one of those shark tanks (!), they ended up foreclosing on my cardboard box …
@BringbackButchGoring, Bhahahahahahahahhahahahaha I really laughed out loud at that one, very hilarious.
[Reply]
Those of us who are not pleased with the “fight less” culture that hockey would like to go towards are not suprised by this. And I don’t mean this as an “i told you so” post. I’m just saying. All of this (“this” meaning a variety of things: inconsistent penalties, more injuries, less respect on the ice, increased uncertainty by the players as to what is allowable/punishable or not, etc.) is bad for the game IMO.
Persnoally, i’d like to see no suspension for Smith + no suspension for the player who crashes the net a little too hard next time. That fear alone would be enough to give Smith pause of doing again (let alone at all). But we all know that that won’t happen in todays game. Whoever touches Smith a little too hard on thursday will be more likely to be disciplined than Smith was for this incident. And to be even more inconsistent, i bet if Smith does it again, he will be fined and/or disciplined. And I’m not sure how that helps the game at all. It’s affecting the game negatively IMO. Less legislation and more player policing is best. Again, in my opinion.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
@MeanMrMustard, that’s meanMrMustard, but I like it! This game has never been for the faint of heart. I hope this game still has some semblance after another 10-15 years of Bettman at the helm.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
@Stuart, I should think so.
My Uncle Gary is committed to kreping everything extractly the same … especially his hairstyle.
Like we always say at extended family gatherings, “If it aint parted down the middle, don’t fix it.”
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
@MeanMrMustard,
I agree with your direction here. If the NHL starts dropping the hammer on every little thing, then next thing you know they’ll be skating in uni-tards. The hard part is where to draw the line. The discipline seems to be inconsistent, but I do think Shanni is trying to do the right thing within a very conflicted institution. I don’t envy his job!
[Reply]
Osaka Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
@jess, I think Shanny has done a much better job than his predecessor Campbell. Still it is a tough job, every single decision one side of the argument is going to be unsatisfied. There is no such thing as a win win in deciding disciplinary suspensions.
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
@Osaka,
I think the hanzal suspension is the right call. The key is Brown isn’t hurt which was my biggest fear heading into game 2. I know the yotes would take mega penalties last night beforehand. Not because I’m psychic, but it’s sort of common sense projection. They don’t have an answer for the kings right now, and when tough guys with pride feel down in the dumps, -which this post season kings org will make allcomers feel that way, they will resort to violence and skullduggery. I then look to the authority to dispense with the correct disciplinary measure at that point, which I feel gets an average grade at this point.
luc20rules Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
@jess, The thing I don’t like in particular is that 4 hits by one team in a game had to be reviewed. That should really lead to a conclusion of strategy/state of mind of the offending team, and the score should have some weight too. Did Phx at some point right off the game and say now we will gain an advantage by injuring King players? I took notice that StL kicked up the checking, but couldn’t complain in the legality of the hits. Can the same be said of Phx, yes they paid in penalties, except the pass give to Smith with Brown being called for diving/embellishment. I think Brown should have been allowed to wack the ref in the back of the leg and see if he embellished or not.
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
@luc20rules,
Yeah the embellishment thing was ridiculous. Over the top stupid. And yer right, one of the refs should be subjected to the same blow and see if they limp around looking like morons for a few minutes
Osaka Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
@MeanMrMustard, That was my only reasoning for a Smith suspension, players get suspended for running the goalie. There is a lack of accountability on the goaltender who swings his stick with the protection he is given by the league.
[Reply]
Diego Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
@MeanMrMustard,
Go back to 1 Ref, 2 Linesmen and the players will keep take care of things.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
@Diego, I would be ALL for that!!! a lot less penalties called during the regular season too
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
@Stokeit,
Ok, so I REALLY hope you simply forgot to put a smiley face on this particularly humorous comment …
Stuart Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:02 am
@Dunkirkz, no way. One less ref trying out-do/call the other ref would be great, and would leave a lot of the policing to the players. Believe you me, when a player knows he’s going to hurt as soon as the ref turns around, it would keep his game a lot more honest!
Duncanz Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:18 am
@Stickemup,
In theory, perhaps, but we don’t need the game to return to the dark ages of errr… before the NHL saw the light and became the sophisticated and progressive league.
So I say leave well enough alone and just get your water from the faucet!
Believe you me period!
Duncanz Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:18 am
@Stickemup,
In theory, perhaps, but we don’t need the game to return to the dark ages of errr… before the NHL saw the light and became the sophisticated and progressive league.
So I say leave well enough alone – and just get your water from the faucet!
Believe you me period!
Stuart Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:32 am
@Dunniebrookz, what’s with the echo-echo? No such think as “progression,” let your unkie know this, mannnnn!! newer does not = better OR improved!!
Because the NHL has established a precedent that it can issue suspensions on plays where no penalty was called…the failure to address the Mike Smith situation is the biggest blow to credibility. Doan…a hockey play, I continue to agree that he should not have been suspended. Hanzal–a hockey play, just a cheap and dangerous one and he merited a suspension and got one. Smith: nothing to do with the puck or possession of it, no possible motive other than to injure the player he hit with his stick. What other intent can there be? Poking him a bit, shoving him, even whacking him on the shins to send the “get out of here” message–one thing. That was an intentional, full-swing attack with no hockey involved.
One of the issues we all have, not Kings fans but hockey fans, with the situation is that sometimes we need Shanny not just to explain the suspensions but to explain the non-suspensions.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 9:54 pm
@Mel Powell, … in an ideal world, eh?
[Reply]
The punishments, or lack of, for the PHX penalties last night is ridiculous. I think most, including myself will agree with that. Also, I think most of us would agree that it’s not surprising. With that said, it’s time to move on. Beating this dead horse makes us fans sound like complainers, whiners, and like some other hockey “fans” around the league. Let’s focus on what this Kings team is accomplishing. They are tying, breaking, setting records in these playoffs. Pretty darn special. This team could wind up being placed among some of the greatest playoff teams in NHL history! The players will take care of the business end on the ice. Nothing happened last night that hasn’t happened in NHL playoff hockey before and I think some of us here have made enough if not too much out of it. Just my .02!
Is anyone excited??!! This is truly an awesome time to be an LA Kings hockey fan, is it not??!!
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
@Shotongoal,
Very exciting time right now!
And many of us haven’t forgotton about that. But I also believe there’s nothing wrong with sorting through some of the issues at hand which are news all over the NHL right now. Big news!
-With that said,
-LGMFK- (!)
[Reply]
Shotongoal Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
@jess, I agree but I think it’s gone on long enough. It was talked about last night, this morning, in the afternoon readings and well now! If this was VAN or SJ or ANA fans posting we Kings fans would be all over them. I just don’t want us to look like them. PHX was dirty last night no doubt. And, the league dropped the ball……again! No surprises really. Let’s just not have double standard for us as opposed to other teams fans.
Oh and yeah LGMFK!!!!
[Reply]
SLIM Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
@Shotongoal,
And now for something corny….
Tomorrow is a mystery….
Yesterday is History…..
We live in the present….
That’s why it’s called a “present”….
Thank you bery much!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
@SLIM,
aja vu all over again, and again and my leg …
[Reply]
This was exactly what I expected and was inline with the NHL has been doing this year.
[Reply]
They are being like the rest…. When they are getting crushed they cant handle it. They try to take out our guys so they can try to win. Vancouver, Blues and now the coyotes are doing it. Poor sportsmanship.
[Reply]
The NHL is at fault here.
They know how physical the finals are so why don’t they have 4 refs + 2 linesmen or at least an onsite ref checking the video.
It’s a fast game and at this stage it’s all or nothing.
The NHL needs to do better job of collecting all the information available and dispensing of what they don’t approve of, otherwise it’s a free for all.
Les
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
@empire, I hope this is the last reference tonight for Star Wars!
[Reply]
Cav Pilot Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 7:36 am
@empire, Four refs? I don’t think so.
[Reply]
Somebody’s using the Jedi-mind trick on Shanahan.
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
@C3PO,
Sounds like yer in need of lubrication. My prescription is to hop on the land speeder with lucky luke and head over to the bar for some great music, strange faces and a drink with an eyeball in it. Hopefully you don’t get your arm ripped off by something wil multiple eyes, and a bugle for a mouth.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 9:40 pm
@jesst,
shan solo..
[Reply]
This is a real goalie slash!
Kings assistant GM Ron Hextall in the day.
http://youtu.be/VMTDHJACf5c
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
@Ow sake!
[Reply]
Lake Forest Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
@Duncanz, Nilsson dived….
[Reply]
luc20rules Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
@Osaka, The speed of the strike was greater, but the way Smith craddled the stick with his forearm and elbow and how he set his skates, twisted the upper body more force was applied.
If you have ever had staff or spear training in martial arts you know what I am talking about its like having a metal rod welded to the bumper of a car and striking with the end compared to a passenger just holding it striking with the other end. Most importantly the area that was hit Brown no pads on the back of the knee far worse with the chance of severe injury than a strike to the back of Nilsson’s lower calf where there is usually a plastic pad.
[Reply]
DEH Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
@Osaka, he was suspended 8 games for that hit! just saying..
[Reply]
Osaka Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:40 pm
@DEH, Wouldn’t mind seeing Smith sit a game or two.
[Reply]
Good afternoon.
My name is @DessertKing, and I feel that my conscience would not allow me to vote for anything definitively …. so I chose D) No suspension.
Hey Rich, why doncha do what I’d do and put in a bunch more combinations of choices, or just for once stick in somethin’ I could agree with without overthinkin’ for once!
signed, err ….. who am I now?
[Reply]
Lake Forest Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@Duncanz, he should of programmed it so the “No suspension” choice would move so you couldnt really choose it.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
@Lake Forest,
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
@Duncanz,
Dude, you spent way to much time in the sun and consumed too many margaritas. You are losing your touch. I actually voted that others shluld have been disciplined, specifically, Smith should have been fined for his intent to injure DB. Take some time off to recover so you can be at your best tomorrow when ojr Kings get to work over the Yotes at Staples
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
@DesertKing,
He was that guy in the Sonic real ice cream shake commercial where they got real sunburned and were in need of a real hospital. Didn’t you know that?
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
@jess,
Ahhh, that explains it!
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
Come to think of it I am kind of feeling a little fried.
The problems really started when I jumped in that vat of cooking oil in Blythe for no good reason and things just seemed to go downhill from there … nice river they’ve got over there, too – I also have used it.
[Reply]
NJ coming back in game 2 with a Kings-like rampage (but not quite)
[Reply]
Shotongoal Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
@jess, Do either of these teams have the size, speed or overall abilities that the Kings possess right now? Unless I’m missing something, I don’t think they do!
[Reply]
jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
@Shotongoal,
Answer:
No!
NJ has the capacity to mimic the Kings intensity in short bursts. But IMO, there are no teams that have what the kings got going on this year. Not even close!
[Reply]
Shotongoal Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
@jess, The Kings are skating circles around the teams they’ve faced and suffocating them with their forechecking and backchecking, and their neutral zone play. They dominated VAN during some of that series, StL most of that series, and PHX all of this series so far…….
Rob Blake was at the game and he is on Shanny’s committee. Therefore. he seen these horrible incidents first hand…Is that the best these guys can do to punish these illegal hits ? disgraceful to say the least.
[Reply]
There should have been no discipline 0.26% (4 votes)
These 4 people did watch the game? Really?…lol
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 5:56 pm
@Csaba Bhody, I voted ‘No Discipline’ 23 times because I don’t want the Coyotes to be short anyone ’cause it makes us better if we beat a better team with better players but not better than us better better than them without their better players better.
Wouldn’t that be better?
[Reply]
Guys, guys, guys, this team is owned by the NHL & they want this team to have a chance to win, be nice!
Plus, those dogs are playing like crying ugly dogssssssssssssssss!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
@Sammuch, If I were the NHL I would want the team to lose the first two games of the series, then come storming back with three straight wins because that sucky DD will revert to his bad habits and Penner and Stoll will need salary downgrades, then Kings would sneak to victory in Games 6 &7 and back themselves into the SC Finals.
That way everybody will think that maybe it’s a legitimate league after all and the Coyotes fans will be inclined to come back next year because lord knows there wasn’t much reason after Games 1 & 2!!!!
[Reply]
Try to get under Smith’s skin physically or verbally. That thug’s gonna take some stupid penalties.
[Reply]
I think the league under Shanny does a great job breaking down the video and explaining their reasoning. If Hanzel were our player I would say he got the appropriate punishment.
HOWEVER
I think Smith and Morris and Doan (in that order) needed some form of punishment.
Ovechkin has been suspended for what Morris did.
Hextall has been suspended for what Smith did.
Doan did not “let up” and although Lewis changed direction, it was a run on a guy who was injured.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5xyITGYdbA
SPEAR
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I expect the refs to have better control and better use of their whistles the next two games.
If the “high emotions” and “frustrations” are expected; well get a handle on it
Tippett is a good coach, but he doesn’t have a handle on his players right now
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jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:06 pm
@Mars,
Everyone knows you can’t put a leash on a coyote.
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jess Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
- But I still can’t figure out why zebras aren’t in rodeos.
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luc20rules Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 8:51 pm
@jess, Because you already have fools dressed funny making themselves look stupid.
Rodeo Clowns.
luc20rules Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:09 pm
@jess, Or stop it from marking its territory every 5 seconds.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
@Mars, Don’t know whether to lose all my respect for Mr Tippett, or to take off my authentic cardboard Burger King for a moment and give him a free pass for resorting to slightly untoward measures to mince the Kings into Double Whopper meat!
It’s been 2 hours and 7 minutes. Anyone else on here got the munchies yet?
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Duncanz Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
*”.. BK crown … “
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I said just right. Let the players settle this stuff on the ice.
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Mike Smith simply should have been punished.
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I have a problem with NHL network being pupeteered by the NHL itself. Just seem like they play for Big Brother…How can no one make any noise about Smith? Why does Doan, a repeat offender get any benefit of the doubt.
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I have a problem with Smith not getting at least fined.
I know goalies have always gotten away with that type of slash, but in the old days, someone would just take a run at the goaltender in retaliation.
Now. You can’t.
Smith went crazy on Kopitar during the season. And now this.
But. The best remedy. Score first tomorrow with the crowd going insane.
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Tom Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:55 pm
@@spencerlakings, This is exactly how I feel. Smith should have received some punishment BECAUSE he is a goalie who can’t be touched by another player in retaliation. Their decision is a mistake and the embellishment penalty on brown was insult to injury. But it’s I’m the past. The kings greatness will be better displayed when they eliminate the yotes and move on the the SC finals. GKG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Just as I suspected.. But Im glad Hanzal is gonna play game four.. Now Dusty has a chance to put him in a coma (temporarily) with a clean “Dustin Brown” type of open-ice hit.
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TomIkaze Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 10:57 pm
@Robb, Like the one he put on Sally Sedin!
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So if quick slashes a phoenix player I guess that’s alright!
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I feel like we got robbed a tad….should have been 2 games on Hanzel…..Nothing for Doan, he’s in a bad spot there and they lost him for the game and they lost……Smith’s is the one that pisses me off the most…calling embellishment on Brownie was a JOKE and smith should have received a 4:00min minor or a game misconduct for intent to injure…….This thing about the league owning the yotes has surfaced too many times. Bettman calls Shanny and asks for a favor for Smith. He knows damn well if Smith is out this series is over and the ratings drop into the abyss……just MHO
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TiredOfIt Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 7:33 pm
@TiredOfIt, Help an Insider out with the abyss spelling
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Public Service Announcement – It looks like tickets are down to about $85 on stubhub for Game 3 at Staples. Get out and support the team and make an impact on Doan and Smiiiiithhhh…
GKG
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Smith should have been suspended!!! That slash was intended to injure Dustin Brown & had no other purpose!!! He wanted to knock brown out of the game & he should be out of the next game at least. It will be more fun watching him get frustrated for 2 more games.
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Shanahan is so bias against the Kings. Hanzal should have been suspended two games. The NHL Department of Player Safety by their decision is encouraging to take top players out of a series by boarding or other such illegal hits. Their suspension to Hanzal is such a poor excuse for discipline. This should make the Kings upset and make them blow the Coyotes out at home in the next two games.
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I’m going to go zero tolerance on this one. Everyone should have been fined and suspended. Even the fans. 1 game for Hanzal I’ll tolerate. He doesn’t have MUCH history in regards to plays like this. Doan was rather a victim of circumstance, but he clearly saw the player turning his back and accelerated into him. He took 3 distinct strides towards the player in checking him (which is charging) and went full force into his back. True, Lewis turned his back to the check. But what’s he supposed to do? Turn in head first? He has a right to protect the puck against the boards without getting rocked. Most players I would have been fine with a double minor penalty and the token game misconduct, but with Doan’s history of similar actions, that should warrant him at the very least a fine if not an additional game off. What Smith did however was unforgivable. The NHL NEEDS to suspend him IMO. He’s taken a lot of flack (deservedly so) for being a flopper (which was proven later in the game) as it is, and that’s not good for the NHL. But when you make a play like that, attempting to injure someone with ZERO provocation, I can’t see how the league can allow that.
But more than anything I think they should be penalized on behalf of the team. It was obvious what Phoenix’s intent was. To cause physical damage. Brown has been fantastic in the playoffs. So their goal was to take him out permanently. The way I see it, game 2 they were rewarded for that mindset despite the loss.
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Once again, they fail to get it right, but then again, Shanahan is not going to bite the hand that feed him. Hanzals hit was every bit as malicious as the Torres hit. You could see his eyes light up and he began accelerating when he saw Brown going in with his back to him. I know that Sutter will not allow that to go unanswered- as far as Doan goes, the right call was made. Smith should have been fined- he would look funny with that stick being held by something other than his hand. I believe Morrows penalty was right as well although the camera can’t prove intent. Shanny cannot be influencex by Bettman!
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I see a lot of talk about “old school hockey” and that kinda bugs me. I’m not an advocate for the “kinder gentler hockey”. In fact I rather miss the old game that I used to play when I had the knees for it. But letting a player deal with the wrongs committed against them is like giving a grieving mother a gun and the address of the person who she thinks killed her son. When a player is on the ice making a play hhe’s not thinking about long term damage unless he’s trying to inflict damage. The new rules are supposed to be designed to change that. To create an environment that’s friendly to the physical play of the 70′s and 80′s, but without players going off the ice on stretchers. I don’t see the problem with that.
Yes, goalies take shots at players who go through their crease. It’s not unheard of true. Plenty of goalies take shots at the shins of players going near their crease. But there has to be a limit set on that. Sticking your stick out for someone to skate over it, taking a quick jab at someone, that’s one thing. A tomahawk chop to the back of the knee? What is this The Karate Kid 1? Intent to injure should figure in there somewhere and what was Smith’s intent if not to injure? I cannot perceive any.
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The way it is with the unfairness of what Phoenix got against the Blackhawks, this result is actually understandable. I would like the referee to have Mike Smith slash his back legs and let me call a penalty of him for embellishing and flopping. Or maybe an apology that I jus blew that call. Wonder if Brownie would show him the stick bruises on the back of his legs.
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It’s hard to say what should have happened with supplemental discipline…I think Hanzal deserved at least a game and he got a game….I think Doan was pretty darn close to lewis when lewis turned away to face the boards…a hit in years past that wouldn’t have been called a penalty…And Doan got a major and a game misconduct, so i am OK with that outcome ( Im sure lewis doesn’t feel ok about it) The one that baffles me is the slash by Smith…It is obvious to everyone paying close attention to this series and the Kings throughout the playoffs this year who is having the most impact out there, shift after shift… it’s the top line…Kopi, Williams and ofcourse Capt Brown…A clear cut, purposeful slash to the back of the Dustins’ leg in full view of every camera angle goes unpunished by the league…and the only one who seemed to have a real problem with it (besides the Kings) was Mike Milbury…Just when I thought I had seen it all…the Kings are still getting screwed, but winning in spite of it all…GKG!
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KingsFan100 Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 6:55 am
@g smith86, I also agree with the punishment to Hanzel and Doan. Lewis put himself in a bad situation and it sucks thankfully he was not seriously hurt. Hanzel has no prior offenses so a 1 game suspension is good. He does it again I am sure he will be gone for longer.
What I can’t rap my head around is the fact that Smith gets away with a something that is obviously done with the intent to injure to some degree. Look you want to be a goalie in the NHL during the playoffs you are going to have to deal with getting hit bumped and otherwise run into. That is no excuse to go out and intentionally injure somebody.
Had this been another player on the ice and they had taken that kind of swing with there stick to the leg of another player I bet they would have at least been fined.
This coupled with the no call for the crap the sharks player pulled without any reaction from league is starting to make me wonder if they are even interested in actually making the game better or just want to put on the act.
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Dear Dustin Penner, please take some strides into the crease, get “pushed”, and fall on Mike Smith until his knees explode – thank you!
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I’ve had an issue with the NHL and how they discipline for quite some time. I have SERIOUS issues with the result of the play being the main factor in any decision.
Yes, I realize that Brown got up and Hanzel only got one game. So, if Brown was hurt, would Hanzel have received more? 2 games? 4 games? Therein lies the problem.
How about what Mike Smith did? If that play isn’t something worth suspending a player for, then I have no clue what is. I know those types of things go on in front of the net quite often. But, out in the open like that, with obvious and malicious intent to injure? No. I haven’t seen that since Ron Hextall went bat (you know what) crazy and went after Chris Chelios for his hit on Brian Propp. Brown is VERY lucky to even be walking today.
When Mike Milbury is on your side, you know things have gone nuts.
There is a VERY easy fix to all of this.
ANY, and I mean ANY hit from behind into the boards deemed by the on ice officials as a major carries with it an immediate 1 game suspension. When it happens a 2nd time, it’s 3 games. A 3rd time, it’s 10 games. 4th, it’s 25 and 5th, you’re thrown out of the NHL.
ANY, blindside hit to the head deemed by the on ice officials as a major, it’s the same thing.
Any intent to injure play carries the same results.
Oh, did I mention this continues throughout your entire career? The only way to “wipe” your record is to go 2 years of completely clean, non suspension hockey.
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NOW IMPRESSED Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:09 am
@mrbrett7, You’re absolutely right. Hanzal’s hit was way worse than Raffi Torrez hit on Marian Hossa. But Hossa was taken off on a strecher and Brown was not. Now how can the NHL prevent injury only if they punish hits that end up with an injury!? Its a sham, and the NHL looks really corrupt when the league owns the Pheonix franchise and fails to disipline Smith.
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CosmicQueso Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 8:53 am
@NOW IMPRESSED, Are you serious? That Torres hit was BRUTAL. He launched himself into Hossa’s face. THAT was a dirty play. Hanzal’s was dirty as well, but not in the same league as the Hossa bomb. Give me a break.
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NOW IMPRESSED Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 9:43 am
@CosmicQueso, Disagree if you like, but the ONLY reason the Torrez hit was brutal is because Hossa went off on a strecher. You see the same hit in almost every game without the injury. The hit on Brown could have easily broke his neck and killed him.
mrbrett7 Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 9:33 am
@NOW IMPRESSED, While I thank you for agreeing, I can’t agree about the Torres hit.
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It is so obvious that if the slash had been any other goaltender there would have been at least a fine. I mean the friggin’ NHL owns THIS team!! Gary Jokeman wants every series to go 7 games, so, of course he’s not going to suspend Doan or Smith because doing so will almost guarantee that the series doesn’t go 7. The best way to take their frustrations out on the Yotes and Bettman is to win the series as soon as possible, i.e. a 4 game sweep! GKG!
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What else is there to say… Smith’s cheap shot on Brown speaks volumes… what a coward.. And Shanahan, you should be ashamed of yourself. Obviously, Shanahan’s been drinking the company cool-aid.. Way to go Shanahan.. Get your strings pulled somemore.
Go Kings Go..!!!!!
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So much whining… is this hockey or are we playing slow pitch softball now?
The Doan hit was clean until Lewis turned into the boards. Hanzal’s was dirty and dangerous. Perhaps should have been two games but I’ve got no beef with one. The slash to Brown should have been called differently, but Brown expects that kind of thing with the way he plays. Hell, he WANTS the other team to do that. It just didn’t get called appropriately.
But all of you screaming for fines and 20 game suspensions… seriously? I know we love our team and our guys, but think with your heads for a minute. It’s hockey.
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mrbrett7 Reply:
May 17th, 2012 at 9:40 am
@CosmicQueso, When you’re talking about someone’s ability to either make a living, or not. When you look at the brain injuries and what is happening to former athletes, you bet fines and suspensions need to be longer.
If there is no deterrent, the inmates are running the asylum.
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Smokachu Reply:
May 20th, 2012 at 3:34 am
@CosmicQueso, No. It’s not. And that’s the point. The Coyotes stopped playing hockey sometime during the first and turned the game into a series of cheap shots. It is what it is and all but there’s no harm in discussion what could or should be done different to prevent such debacles during future playoffs. I might agree it’s whining, if this wasn’t a topic of conversation all across the hockey world. I’m sure if you look on any team’s websites you’re going to find people who are discussing game 2 with negativity. Including Phoenix fans on their own boards I have no doubt. If I ever saw the Kings play that sort of game I know I would be embarrassed. So let the fans have their discussion. Let the fans dwell and discuss on this and voice their opinions until the league has to rethink their stances. It’s the team’s focus you should worry about, and seeing how in game 3 the Kings completely demoralized a team that outplayed them for a full period to the point where they all but gave up… methinks THEIR focus is where it need be.
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What bugs me about the Doan boarding that I haven’t seen many people address is that there was already a delayed penalty on Phoenix for the slash against Brown. Doan knowingly went to finish the check, while he should have tried to gain possession of the puck to get the whistle.
Did Lewis turn at the last minute? Of course he did, but that does not make it his fault he was boarded. He knew it was coming and drew the major, like a smart disciplined player would have. It bothers me that Doan, Tippett and many other (mainly non-Kings fans) are saying it’s Lewis’ fault.
I really don’t think Doan should have been suspended, although given his prior record, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he were.
Hanzal should have gotten 2 games IMO.
Smith, maybe a fine. The problem with the Smith situation is the consequence of his actions is too little. The only way to right this double standard that goalies are untouchable and can dish it out, is to go back to the old ways were goalies can get run. I hate to say it, because the dangerous play is getting overwhelming, but I just never see the NHL properly disciplining a goalie in these scenarios.
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Smokachu Reply:
May 20th, 2012 at 3:38 am
@Bill, Perhaps the law is unpopular, but a lot of people seem to be ignoring the rule as it’s written. It’s been established that the checker is completely responsible for his check. That includes when a player turns his back to him. Doan took several distinct strides before making his check. He saw him turning as he was moving forward. All he had to do to not draw a penalty at all is pull his punch. Lean away from the guy making lighter contact with him. He didn’t. He followed through and lead in straight into the numbers. Penalty, game misconduct given, the review… depends. With prior history… not giving him the extra game off kinda makes the whole situation hazy.
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Aparently it’s ok to hit players with your stick and get away with it, even when it’s shown on multiple cameras clear as day.
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On-ice officiating is where things need to improve, IMO. The old saw that penalties aren’t called so that the referees aren’t influencing the game is equine excrement: the only way for the officials to avoid influencing a game’s outcome is to enforce the game’s rules. If a player is given a penalty for an infraction, it’s the player–not the referee–that is influencing the game.
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Mike Smith
What a piece of stick. GO Kings a.k.a The LA Stings a.k.a Animal Control. I would love to take a good swing @ Smith’s back knees The League is starting to come across in a bad way. possibly a little bias?
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