Euro Hockey

[Arn]

Just since I can't think of anywhere else to put this, a thread for people who maybe follow Euro hockey, including our overseas members like myself.

Anyway in the top UK Elite League this incident happened on Sunday. Apparently worth a one game ban. Feel free to discuss.

(Leafs link, Belfast coach is Sheldon Keefe's brother, Adam)

https://twitter.com/murphydarcy15/status/923217257047740416

In other news the player on the end of the attack was banned 3 games for kicking

[herman]

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/21157723/nhl-uk-hockey-league-skate-kick-suspension-baffling

I was just about to post this up to ask you about it, Arn.

This is Sparta-level madness.

[Coco-puffs]

BTW, if you watch the Goulakos suspension video, he's being reprimanded for

1.  TWO Checking from behind incidents in the same game (including the one on that particular play that was uncalled originally)
2.  Kicking incident

The guy probably should have gotten more than 3, but it seems they aren't taking the checking from behind incidents and suspending him for them- just adjusting the record to say they should have been 5 mins plus a game misconduct (which means removal from that game)

As for Fretter... he deserves a couple more games too.  I would have given him 3 as well.  I think Wyshynsky is out to lunch comparing it to the Bertuzzi on Moore incident.  Bert pulled Moore from behind, delivered a full on punch, and then drove his head to the ice while falling on him. 

[cabber24]

Just since I can't think of anywhere else to put this, a thread for people who maybe follow Euro hockey, including our overseas members like myself.

Anyway in the top UK Elite League this incident happened on Sunday. Apparently worth a one game ban. Feel free to discuss.

(Leafs link, Belfast coach is Sheldon Keefe's brother, Adam)

https://twitter.com/murphydarcy15/status/923217257047740416

In other news the player on the end of the attack was banned 3 games for kicking

I watched the video before reading anything and honestly what stood out to me most was the kick. The hit was vicious but a kick you don't see to often.

[Arn]

I hadn't read Wyshynski's article before but a couple of parts of it I really agree with.

Firstly

We can all see why Fretter snapped, and there are think pieces written that justify it. But the idea that this deliberate, violent and forceful act of retribution gets a single game (already mandated by the match penalty), or triple what the victim gets for self defense, is an astoundingly bad look for the EIHL and the sport itself.

I agree it's not as bad as Bertuzzi but it's a leaping attack to the back of the head and neck from the blindside so I definitely think its more than 1 game. In the leagues own rules (basically IIHF rules) it states any check to the head supersedes any other penalty so how they've banned him for one game for charging I never know. I'd have gone up to 8-10 games for this one.

1 game basically means anyone in the league now has a free run to randomly attack anyone you feel like. Meanwhile a couple of weeks ago other guy got banned 2 games for throwing a water bottle on the ice....

Again, this is "hockey logic," which is why "hockey logic" is dumb.

Also this. A pitiful disciplinary decision probably means now we get 2 random tough guys having to square off, cos neither Goulakos or Fretter are fighters (and Goulakos is out with concussion anyway).

I watched the video before reading anything and honestly what stood out to me most was the kick. The hit was vicious but a kick you don't see to often.

I wouldn't describe it as a kick as much as an involuntary reaction to someone jumping on you. HOWEVER, with a blade strapped to your foot you can't do that and actually I'd have gone 5 games of a ban for Goulakos for this and the hits.

[Arn]

The UK still only uses a 1 ref, 2 linesmen system. The ref who was running this game has history of losing control of games over the years also. I think with a 2 man system you don't get this far as the hits from behind aren't missed.

But the disciplinary decisions are a joke. Of course the chairman of the Elite league is also the chairman of the Sheffield Steelers for who Fretter plays. Now I wouldn't say he has an influence but it doesn't look good...

Here's a good comparison as well actually

https://twitter.com/Davy_McG/status/923227789205147648

A glancing blow to the chin when attempting to make a legitimate hit gets 2 games (correctly), but an all out assault gets one

[herman]

http://www.eliteleague.co.uk/view/eliteicehockey/latest-news/news_494906

Ruling has been adjusted following an independent review.

[Arn]

Yup, and seems to have been fairly unanimously accepted around the rest of the league  (other than some Sheffield fans and officials).

I think it's about right re the Goulakos hits and the blindside attack by Fretter. I still am a little surprised the raised skateblade didn't get more. (Tho it looks like he'll be out a lot longer than 2 games with a concussion anyway).

The old head of the player safety unit has been removed and I would hope the league can come to an agreement to let this neutral arrangement continue.

It's a shame this is what has brought the league into international news with the 2 teams in the European Champions Hockey League performing superbly with one winning their group against Swiss and Czech opposition

[anton girdeaux]

Thankfully this incident saw the end of DOPS in it's present form!!

[Arn]

Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe's little brother Adam has claimed his first title as a coach in his first year coaching. Lead the Belfast Giants to a British Challenge Cup victory

http://www.itv.com/news/utv/2018-03-05/giant-welcome-home-for-challenge-cup-champions/

Game highlights: https://youtu.be/2LRIy-7zanE

[Arn]

So Belfast played their first two games ever in the Champions Hockey league this week.

Beat Czech side Liberec 5-4 in our first ever game, in a game the Liberec coach described as "Slap Shot movie"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBPYkFGCCao&feature=youtu.be

Then on Saturday we lost out to German side Augsburg 3-2 in OT at a game at which over 1000 Germans made the trip to Belfast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXfClDR-Wbs&feature=youtu.be

Unbelievable crowd they brought over:

https://twitter.com/aaron__gk/status/1168071621225189376

Belfast are the bottom ranked team of the 32 in the competition so to be equal top of the group after 2 games is quite surprising and impressive.

Cardiff also managed a win and a penalty shot win in their 2 games to top their group.