Series thread: Pittsburgh vs Washington

[herman]

I known Niskanen knows where his stick and the best player on the ice are pretty much at all times, but I still wouldn't say he cross-checked Crosby with malicious intent. Looked more like a protective block/catch to prevent his own organs from being caved in. I'm okay with no further supplemental discipline.

Even Ovechkin's slew foot is more incidental than malicious.

[bustaheims]

I known Niskanen knows where his stick and the best player on the ice are pretty much at all times, but I still wouldn't say he cross-checked Crosby with malicious intent. Looked more like a protective block/catch to prevent his own organs from being caved in. I'm okay with no further supplemental discipline.

Even Ovechkin's slew foot is more incidental than malicious.

Yeah. The whole thing is basically a sequence of unfortunate events that compounded on each other. Really, the only intentional act was Ovechkin's initial slash. Everything else was either circumstantial or reactionary.

[Nik Bethune]

Crosby officially has a concussion.

[Peter D.]

Crosby officially has a concussion.

God I hope this doesn't mean a shortened career for him.

[cabber24]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/rossi-ovechkin-should-be-suspended-for-slash-on-crosby~1113591
http://www.upgruv.com/ovechkin-niskanen-crosby-injury-nhl-2388421629.html

[hockeyfan1]

I known Niskanen knows where his stick and the best player on the ice are pretty much at all times, but I still wouldn't say he cross-checked Crosby with malicious intent. Looked more like a protective block/catch to prevent his own organs from being caved in. I'm okay with no further supplemental discipline.

Even Ovechkin's slew foot is more incidental than malicious.

Yeah. The whole thing is basically a sequence of unfortunate events that compounded on each other. Really, the only intentional act was Ovechkin's initial slash. Everything else was either circumstantial or reactionary.

Ovechkin's slash which led to the whole series of consequences that ensued.

[Significantly Insignificant]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/rossi-ovechkin-should-be-suspended-for-slash-on-crosby~1113591
http://www.upgruv.com/ovechkin-niskanen-crosby-injury-nhl-2388421629.html

Funny, I don't remember this vitriol when Crosby speared a guy in the junk and blew another players finger up.

I'm all for discipline, and for making sure that players are safe, but Crosby's no angel who has gotten away with a couple of egregious acts himself.

[hockeyfan1]

Apparently, someone has taken note of Ovie's slash.  The incident certainly wawn't lost on former Edmonton Oilers great Paul Coffey who had this to say about it:

"The thing everbody's overlooking -- and we'll never know because Sid got hit twice -- is the two-hander he took to the head and the neck from Ovechkin", Coffey told The Starting Line on Sportsnet 590 The FAN Tuesday.

"When Crosby was falling down, that could have been the initial blow that hurt him.  Nobody knows and nobody's talking about that. That was a brutal two-hander by Ovechkin to Crosby when he was going to the net."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/sidney-crosby-matt-niskanen-alex-ovechkin-paul-coffey-hit-cross-check-penguins-capitals/

[herman]

Crosby officially has a concussion.

This sucks.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/rossi-ovechkin-should-be-suspended-for-slash-on-crosby~1113591
http://www.upgruv.com/ovechkin-niskanen-crosby-injury-nhl-2388421629.html

Funny, I don't remember this vitriol when Crosby speared a guy in the junk and blew another players finger up.

I'm all for discipline, and for making sure that players are safe, but Crosby's no angel who has gotten away with a couple of egregious acts himself.

There was plenty.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

I don't buy that Niskanen hit him that way unintentionally.  Crosby was already falling down and Niskanen could have fended him off lower down or by grabbing him rather than put his stick up at jaw level.

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't buy that Niskanen hit him that way unintentionally.  Crosby was already falling down and Niskanen could have fended him off lower down or by grabbing him rather than put his stick up at jaw level.

I don't buy it either. Even if that is his defence what happened to being in control of your stick at all times? It was a long time ago, but Wade Belak got suspended 8 games once for falling. I honestly can't believe Niskanen doesn't get any supplemental discipline for causing a concussion by cross-checking a player in the head. Whether it was on purpose or not, that's what he did.

[bustaheims]

I don't buy that Niskanen hit him that way unintentionally.  Crosby was already falling down and Niskanen could have fended him off lower down or by grabbing him rather than put his stick up at jaw level.

When I watch it in real time, it really looks reactionary. He puts his hands up to protect himself more than anything else. They just end up at head level for Crosby, unfortunately.

[Significantly Insignificant]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/rossi-ovechkin-should-be-suspended-for-slash-on-crosby~1113591
http://www.upgruv.com/ovechkin-niskanen-crosby-injury-nhl-2388421629.html

Funny, I don't remember this vitriol when Crosby speared a guy in the junk and blew another players finger up.

I'm all for discipline, and for making sure that players are safe, but Crosby's no angel who has gotten away with a couple of egregious acts himself.

There was plenty.

Not from Rob Rossi.   The problem I have is that these champions for justice only show up when it happens to their player.  At some point a step back needs to be taken.  If it happens to your team and you don't like it, then it isn't good if it happens to the other team either.  As fans we can't have it both ways.  If what happened last night is a suspendable offense, then so were the acts that Crosby committed in the last couple of weeks of the season.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/rossi-ovechkin-should-be-suspended-for-slash-on-crosby~1113591
http://www.upgruv.com/ovechkin-niskanen-crosby-injury-nhl-2388421629.html

Funny, I don't remember this vitriol when Crosby speared a guy in the junk and blew another players finger up.

I'm all for discipline, and for making sure that players are safe, but Crosby's no angel who has gotten away with a couple of egregious acts himself.

There was plenty.

Not from Rob Rossi.   The problem I have is that these champions for justice only show up when it happens to their player.  At some point a step back needs to be taken.  If it happens to your team and you don't like it, then it isn't good if it happens to the other team either.  As fans we can't have it both ways.  If what happened last night is a suspendable offense, then so were the acts that Crosby committed in the last couple of weeks of the season.

Oh I agree. I'm no big fan of Sid nor of double standards where Sid is concerned.