[PST] Second Round: Washington (1st Metropolitan) vs Pittsburgh (2nd Metropolitan)

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Actually, that's basically what the article that you mocked was arguing

While curiously silent, despite being an avid follower of the Penguins (Crosby superfan) and regular blogger, when Crosby mangled Methot.

Hard to justify an empassioned plea for wide sweeping rule changes and a bizarre attributation of concussion issues to hack and slash hockey, just because Crosby got a concussion, when Crosby doing some slicing and dicing isn't even worth a mention. He even goes on to mention another, totally different slash by Niskanen from games earlier that had zero impact on Crosby. But Methot? That seems like a great example if you want to talk about the problem with hacks and slashes, yet strangely absent!

I agree with the punishment. 5 and a game. He seems to think the punishment is light because officiating is trash and NHL and concussions and Crosby.

I don't have a problem with the conclusion: "penalise more slashes," I have a problem with the conclusion: "penalise more slashes on Crosby," which is where the article arrives and shows, really, no sign of being anything but the injustice done to Crosby. The article was embarrassing to read.

You seem stuck on whether the pinky mangling was as bad as a concussion or not. It doesn't matter, and as long as you keep thinking the result matters then you fail at being objective. The action is all that matters, the injury does not.

[2macinnis2]

Originally Posted by driveway

Yeah, pretty much. Most contending teams have a player who would fall into this 'gets the calls' category. I think Gaudreau will be there in a year or two, personally. Some players just get there earlier.

Sports are entertainment, they should be entertaining. Giving the best players in the game a little bit more freedom to be entertaining is a good idea.

So then is a great player great or are they only great because the league/refs are helping them be great?

Who decides who should get preferential treatment? Do you give it to Kane? tarasenko? Stone?

I try to be open minded to thoughts people post, sometimes out of the box, but this idea is 'bananas' foolish...

[driveway]

Originally Posted by 2macinnis2

So then is a great player great or are they only great because the league/refs are helping them be great?

Who decides who should get preferential treatment? Do you give it to Kane? tarasenko? Stone?

I try to be open minded to thoughts people post, sometimes out of the box, but this idea is 'bananas' foolish...

The Refs decide, and it's different for each ref and from game to game. It's also already done by most refs in most leagues in most sports in the world, so its not - I think - 'bananas' foolish.

[Meers]

A player is responsible for his stick.

Cross-check a guy to the head and cause a concussion, and you should be suspended.

It's simply not a hockey play.

[Ducay]

Responsible for you stick sure, but you can't be expected to forsee a player getting his leg taken out and stumbling towards you with very little time to react.

NHL DoPS is not new to this. They would have at least called a hearing if there was anything malicious at all.

[Travis Munroe]

Originally Posted by Meers

A player is responsible for his stick.

Cross-check a guy to the head and cause a concussion, and you should be suspended.

It's simply not a hockey play.

Lance Bouma has 5 seconds to plan a guy he is going to hit and misses half the time. You have to stop watching the replay in slow motion. It really isnt even a hit, its a player who changes direction both from right to left and from up to down. It isnt as much of a hit as it is Crosby running into him. Niskanen had zero interest in Crosby on the play. He was sticking to his man who peels off behind the net which is the signal for Niskanen to stop. If you insist on watching in slow motion it is clear that Crosby runs into Niskanen more than Niskanen going for Crosby.

I hate seeing star players go down but some fans need to understand that with less than half a second to think, you too would stick your hands up to avoid contact at someone sliding towards you.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I have basically no doubt, even watching in slow motion, that Niskanen was going to shove him with his gloves in the shoulder had Crosby not fallen down. You are responsible for your stick, which is why it was a penalty. But suspending to the injury is idiotic. Always has been and always will be.

[CaptainCrunch]

This is Crosby's fourth Concussion I think, two of which caused him to miss significant time.

I tend to hate the thought, but he is going to have to seriously think about his hockey playing future. I mean he's won everything, he's the slam dunk best player in the NHL and a surefire top 5 of all time player.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

This is Crosby's fourth Concussion I think, two of which caused him to miss significant time.

I tend to hate the thought, but he is going to have to seriously think about his hockey playing future. I mean he's won everything, he's the slam dunk best player in the NHL and a surefire top 5 of all time player.

Maybe but it all depends on the degree of this concussion, the speed of recovery without setbacks, etc. For all we know it's purely precautionary right now.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by driveway

The Refs decide, and it's different for each ref and from game to game. It's also already done by most refs in most leagues in most sports in the world, so its not - I think - 'bananas' foolish.

It's not done in the NFL. Cam Newton for example takes a lot of punishment for a league MVP. If there's preferential treatment for certain players in any sport then it's no longer sport and more WWE.

[CaptainCrunch]

Maybe, but like I said we're talking cumulative effects now. Two of his concussions caused him to miss serious time.

I'm glad they're being cautious as they should with someone that's had multiple concussions.

But at the age of 29 with his whole life ahead of him, having won everything he can and having millions in the bank.

Maybe its time to call it a day, and if that happens then hopefully some good will come from it in terms of player safety.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

Lance Bouma has 5 seconds to plan a guy he is going to hit and misses half the time. You have to stop watching the replay in slow motion. It really isnt even a hit, its a player who changes direction both from right to left and from up to down. It isnt as much of a hit as it is Crosby running into him. Niskanen had zero interest in Crosby on the play. He was sticking to his man who peels off behind the net which is the signal for Niskanen to stop. If you insist on watching in slow motion it is clear that Crosby runs into Niskanen more than Niskanen going for Crosby.

I hate seeing star players go down but some fans need to understand that with less than half a second to think, you too would stick your hands up to avoid contact at someone sliding towards you.

I admit the first thing that came to mind when I saw the hit:



Does that make me a bad person? P.S. I completely agree with Travis.

[calgarygeologist]

It looks like another disappointing playoff exit is imminent for Ovie and the Capitals. I can't help but wonder if Ovie demands a trade sometime soon to a team that he potentially feels might have a better chance of winning the cup. Washington has proven to be such a strong team year after year but they just can't might it happen in the playoffs. It must be really frustrating for him.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

It looks like another disappointing playoff exit is imminent for Ovie and the Capitals. I can't help but wonder if Ovie demands a trade sometime soon to a team that he potentially feels might have a better chance of winning the cup. Washington has proven to be such a strong team year after year but they just can't might it happen in the playoffs. It must be really frustrating for him.

Every year it's something. Last few seasons nobody has been able to score except AO. This season they are being let down by their goaltender. Has to be frustrating for fans as well as it's probably just like how Flames fans feel when they play the Ducks and it's simply no fun when you know that anything that can go wrong will go wrong for your team.

[Sainters7]

It's just too bad they will always run into Pittsburgh in the divisional rounds too, just one of those teams they can't beat when it counts. Feel bad for Ovi too, dude deserves to at least see the 3rd fricken round

[FlamesAddiction]

I haven't been paying attention to the playoffs since the Flames were knocked out and I heard a rant on the Ottawa radio today about the Crosby concussion.

I feel terrible for Crosby. I don't think the high stick or the hit after were malicious, just a really clumsy sequence of events.

[Resolute 14]

Caps fans and the eastern media were whining up a storm about how unfair it was that the "best team in hockey" would have to play the Pens in the second round. But if they can't beat a Pens team without Crosby or Letang...

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Caps fans and the eastern media were whining up a storm about how unfair it was that the "best team in hockey" would have to play the Pens in the second round. But if they can't beat a Pens team without Crosby or Letang...

Yeah they have nobody to blame but themselves. Holtby has the best stats of any goaltender in the playoffs since he's been in the league but he's really let the team down. Any time you give up 4 shots in a period and give up 2 goals that's just not going to get it done.

They are probably going to lose Oshie and Alzner to free agency so hard to imagine they will be a better team next season so their window is probably going to start to close. IMO they probably have to make a big shakeup trade. Brian MacLellan should be on the phones this summer calling teams like the Flames inquiring about players like Gio that could be difference makers for them as it seems that they have plenty of really good talent that can win night in and night out over the 82 game season but lack the leadership and difference makers you see on teams like the Penguins, Hawks and even Kings when they were having playoff success.

[Hemi-Cuda]

As bad as it is that the Flames can never win against the Ducks, at least we're not a perennial President's Trophy winner who has never seen the 3rd round. Has there ever been such a long streak of choking in the playoffs with such a talented roster before?

[TheFlamesVan]

^ Sharks