Ovie's latest victim might be out for the season
by ahtrap on Mar 15, 2010 11:12 AM CDT
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PrintYou guys have probably seen it by now, or at the least heard about Alexander Ovechkin's latest dirty hit, this time on Brian Campbell of the Blackhawks. The quick version is, Campbell plays the puck with Ovie in the vicinity, and after the puck has been gone for a second or two, clearly "late", Ovechkin shoves Campbell down. If it's a center ice hit, it's two minutes for being an ass. But in this instance, they were going around the goal, around the red line when the hit occurred, and in going down to the ice, Campbell also went into the boards.
It was immediately clear he was hurt, since he lay there for a few minutes. But it turns out that he might miss the rest of the season, according to ESPN, as well as Second City Hockey.
You'd like to think that Ovechkin would face a significant penalty for this hit. You'd like to think that the NHL would bring the hammer down on a repeat offender, and sit him down for the suspension it deserves. But you and I are also aware of how bad a joke Toronto's disciplinary record is, and the fact that Alex Ovechkin is one of the game's brightest stars. I'm not holding my breath.
On the flipside, there's also the thought of what this injury does to the Blackhawks, since losing one of your top defensemen is never an easy situation to find yourself in. Think of Lilja's concussion last year (it was right around this time of the season, wasn't it?) for a Red Wings analogy. The Blackhawks could be thought of being where the Red Wings were at this point last year, tops in the Central, expected to go far in the playoffs, and suddenly in the position of having to plug in new pieces (like Jonathon Ericsson was brought in last year).
It didn't affect the Wings much last year, although you have to wonder whether a more experienced D-man might have created or saved one more goal in a game 6 or game 7 situation. Remains to be seen how Chicago deals with it, but you have to feel for 'em regardless, even if you can't wish them much luck with it.
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I love Ovechkin, I really do. He’s my favorite offensive non-Wing (I have a lot of defensive players at the top of my list). He deserves to be suspended for the rest of the season for this, though. He’s the most reckless player in the league and doesn’t care who he hurts. Hell, his little knee crap that he does could have ended the career of one of his friends and freaking mentors, Sergei Gonchar, last playoff. This is just as dangerous as the head hits that the GMs just asked to be banned (we should see Olympic like security with those), perhaps moreso.
Sadly, he’ll only get a game or two for it.
Time is now
This West coast trip is our playoffs -at least for now. We have played with better effort and intensity, but with the exception of the Wild game, we need to be much better in the third period.
by katiebarthedoor on Mar 15, 2010 11:24 AM CDT reply actions
Loose Cannon
I love watching Ovechkin play but he hits to hurt which I’m not a fan of. It’s one thing to just finish your check but it’s something entirely different to shove someone on edge into the boards when the puck is no longer in the area. It was a dirty hit but the league probable won’t do anything because it’s Ovechkin.
No need to exaggerate
The hit was clearly dirty. It was basically the definition of boarding. But it was not “clearly ‘late.’” Watch the hit in real time. There is no way “the puck ha[d] been gone for a second or two.”
Again, I’m not arguing that it was a clean hit or that Ovie doesn’t deserve punishment. But let’s call it what it was: a dirty hit that deserved a boarding penalty, but not a late hit.
good point
I’d watched a replay just after the game ended, and wrote the post at 2 AM after seeing the ESPN and SCH stories. Should have taken another look at the video, because while it was a dirty hit, even NFL refs would be hard pressed to call it a late hit.
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
Nice Win
Hey—Another great game on NBC for you guys. Did the refs lose this one for you also?
by katiebarthedoor on Mar 15, 2010 2:16 PM CDT reply actions
I would guess,
that she was trying to leave a snarky comment on the Hawks site, and missed.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Mar 15, 2010 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions
question...
does “katie” do the same over here? just randomly shows up posts something that doesn’t make sense in a “holier than thou” tone?
fisting barry rozner with every goal!!!
by soupy's spin-o-rama on Mar 16, 2010 12:18 AM CDT up reply actions
Lilja was lost a little earlier
In late February.
Ovechkin is a wonderful, high-energy player, but he needs to learn how to go at half-speed once in a while – you don’t always have to have the accelerator slammed right down to the floor, and he doesn’t have any idea how to back off, even when he really needs to.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
I hope Campbell has a full and complete recovery
And reports to training camp in the fall at 100% and raring to go. :)
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
He got two games. Campbell is likely done for season, possibly longer depending on what site you are reading. I really wish they would institute an eye-for-an-eye type suspension rule; you’re out as long as your opponent is out, as cleared by NHL or third party doctors (otherwise Campbell might stay out longer than he needs to just to keep Ovechkin out). I called for this when the Laraque hit on Kronwall happened. Laraque missed… 5 games? Roughly 2 and a half weeks? Kronwall missed 2 months. If you commit a dirty hit (hit from behind, hit to the head, anything Chris Simon has ever done), you should miss the exact same amount of time as your victim. To me, that’s fair and just.
It can go both ways, though.
What if through sheer luck a player isn’t badly hurt, despite the best attempts of the person committing the penalty? Think about the Downie on Crosby hit – If Crosby had shredded his knee ligaments, Downie would be out for a long time, but since Crosby not only returned to that game but also doesn’t seem to be badly hurt, does that mean Downie gets nothing despite his best try to take him out?
Better to have a clear system of suspensions with greater penalties for offenses that have a greater chance of causing serious injury. And then stick to it, damn it.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
It would be the longer of the two. The league would hand out a suspension like usual and would say “You’re out for two games or until Campbell comes back, which ever happens later.” I can see the confusion, but I thought that was implied. My mistake. Should have just come out and said it. lol
by Apocalyptic0n3 on Mar 15, 2010 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Todd Bertuzzi is lucky you're not the commish
And I smiled when the thought crossed my mind, but in my defense, I did have the decency to wonder why I was smirking. Bert did real damage to Moore, not just in a hockey sense.
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Honestly, I don’t think Bertuzzi should be in the league after what he did to Steve Moore. I know he’s been pretty good for us this season, but I still don’t think he should be in the league. Hell, I think he should have seen jailtime for the hit (can’t remember if he did or not)
by Apocalyptic0n3 on Mar 15, 2010 9:38 PM CDT up reply actions
While I do agree that the way Ovie plays is reckless and he needs to think more before he does some of the things he does.
I disagree that he intended to hurt Campbell in this particular instance. I agree with the 5 minute major for the boarding but the 10 minute misconduct…ehhh. The suspension probably not. Watching the replay, it appears to me that Ovie was tucking his shoulder up, trying to hit Campbell going upwards, not pushing him down. I think it was just one of those f’ed up hits that ended up worse than it should have been.
he was careless
Hopefully the two games is enough to make him think. He needs to back off just a little bit sometimes, or he will seriously injure someone without meaning to.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
He still very young also
and he needs to think about himself in the equation too. He seems to think that he is invinsible.
by Wings3_26_97 on Mar 15, 2010 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Little late. and before I get flamed out. I 100% agree that ovechkin made a stupid, dirty play that he was rightly suspended for.
On the other hands, stuff like that happens all the time,and nothing happens.
Even hits ON ovechkin like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkQKBGAQExQ
Ovechking...
resident master jinxer
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