Quote:
Originally Posted by Machiavelli
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...=153764&page=3
In fact, read this game thread around posts 60-80
Multiple mentions of Johnny being slashed with no response from this Flames team. Gio and our other so-called leaders didn't do anything then, not surprised they didn't do/say anything now.
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Here's what I don't get about the whole thing.
If Johnny was hit with a clean open ice check, I guarantee that someone from the Flames rushes over and has the obligatory "I'm going to fight you for throwing a clean hit" fight. While somewhat robot in nature, it gets the opposition thinking about what they're doing and that it will have consequences.
Yet, when he's hacked and slashed all game, the Flames players seem believe that there is nothing they can do (and I don't believe they are playing coy and waiting for revenge...they will do nothing the next time they play the Wild)
Good players do get targeted, but Gaudreau is a huge target and teams know how the Flames will respond. They did nothing when Duncan Keith took him out last year. They did nothing when the Kings had a field day with him a few years back. If at any time in the past, a teammate stood up for Johnny (just like Dumba did for Dubnyk on a pretty pedestrian bump from Hathaway), then I think we'd be seeing a lot less of these slashes and maybe not talking about this injury.
If you can send "messages" on clean hits, you can send "messages" on dirty slashes. The Flames just choose not to do so and are dealing with the consequences now.