Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
It's like you've not seen any of the videos. He actually changed his angle to make the hit instead of trying to block the stick. He was nowhere near making a great play. He had a much better chance if he went for the puck
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But there is no way to stop the goal with your stick there. Schiefele would 100% end up jamming it in. He just wasn't there quick enough.
I see it as reckless, but not malicious. No, he did not skate 200ft with the malicious intent of rocking Evans - I don't see that from the replays. I see a guy who is skating hard on the backcheck trying to save a goal, and there was no other path to prevent that goal.
Now, was it reckless? Yes. However, at that last instant, Schiefele appears to slow down some, and you can see from the skates a lot of snow spray - was that him slowing down? I don't know. He didn't hit the head, and if he was trying to blow the guy up, I think he would have launched as well.
I think this is one of those instances that the speed of the game results in a reckless - but not malicious - incident.
Should Schiefele get suspended? Yes, I do think he should get suspended, but probably just a couple of games. That was a reckless play.
I just don't see it as him racing down the ice just to blow Evans up. I don't see it as predatory.
I have also repeatedly argued that I feel just because a hit is clean, doesn't make it right. People complain (even players) for making a clean - but huge - hit, and having to answer for it. I think if you make a big hit with an intent to injure a guy, even if it is 100% textbook clean - then you better also be willing to answer for it. If you are going to blow a guy up and try to injure him (of course a huge hit is likely to cause injury, right?), then that player shouldn't suddenly be surprised when the other team tries to make him answer for it.
In this case, I don't think that intent was to injure. It was a reckless attempt at trying to prevent the goal, but I don't see it as predatory.