Neal and Thornton incidents

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Why should Orpik fight Thornton for delivering a hit???  Why would he fight your best fighter for delivering a hit???  How exactly is that in Orpik's or the Penguin's best interest to have a skilled player fight a meathead???

Not that he has to fight him necessarily but the hit didn't really look clean to me.

a) Eriksson already had a concussion this year and missed a good amount of time.

b) It looked, to me at least, that the puck went behind Eriksson and that he never played it/had possession.

If that's the case then a penalty should've been called for interference. If you fill in a guy who's come back from a concussion then you answer the bell or the Bruins go after Crosby IMO. That's just how these things go.

The officials could've diffused the situation, Orpik could've by fighting, Neal could've not added fuel to the fire. Lots of things went wrong. If that kind of thing happened to Kessel or whoever on the Leafs I'd be happy to lose Orr/McLaren to send a message to the offending team. Unfortunately Thornton is actually an effective hockey player.

 

[maplesyrup]

PJ Stock is defending the Thornton incident. Get him off the CBC.

^ This. ^

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I think both Neal and Thornton should be suspended. Orpik hit Ericsson in the chest clean, Thornton should have got the instigater and Neal should have been given 5 and a game for the dangerous hit to the head and then the last thing probably wouldn't have occurred.

EDIT: Crosby should have been given 2 minutes as well.

That's how I saw it.

 

[Kin]

a) Eriksson already had a concussion this year and missed a good amount of time.

That doesn't mean it's hands off. If a player is on the ice he has to be able to get hit. It's unfair to expect Orpik to think about a player's injury history before playing good defence.

 

[lamajama]

Wow. In making an argument in favor of fighting (I think?), PJ Stock demonstrates the dangers of being routinely concussed.

Nice. That was worth a chuckle.

And seeing that the player that was kneed was Marchant I'm a lot less indignant. Still should be a suspension but I'm not worried about that rat.

Ouch. Ottawa goal.

 

[Bates]

If Gunnerson made that hit, which was not penalized, you would expect him to fight Thornton??  That makes no sense to me.  If a smaller guy wants to fight Orpik I would find it a little more understandable but still bizarre.  Erickson just missed the puck, it's not Orpik's job to make sure he is skilled enough to receive the puck.

Why should Orpik fight Thornton for delivering a hit???  Why would he fight your best fighter for delivering a hit???  How exactly is that in Orpik's or the Penguin's best interest to have a skilled player fight a meathead???

Not that he has to fight him necessarily but the hit didn't really look clean to me.

a) Eriksson already had a concussion this year and missed a good amount of time.

b) It looked, to me at least, that the puck went behind Eriksson and that he never played it/had possession.

If that's the case then a penalty should've been called for interference. If you fill in a guy who's come back from a concussion then you answer the bell or the Bruins go after Crosby IMO. That's just how these things go.

The officials could've diffused the situation, Orpik could've by fighting, Neal could've not added fuel to the fire. Lots of things went wrong. If that kind of thing happened to Kessel or whoever on the Leafs I'd be happy to lose Orr/McLaren to send a message to the offending team. Unfortunately Thornton is actually an effective hockey player.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

a) Eriksson already had a concussion this year and missed a good amount of time.

That doesn't mean it's hands off. If a player is on the ice he has to be able to get hit. It's unfair to expect Orpik to think about a player's injury history before playing good defence.

He shouldn't destroy a guy who doesn't have possession of the puck. That's not good defence, it's just plain dirty.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

If Gunnerson made that hit, which was not penalized, you would expect him to fight Thornton??  That makes no sense to me.  If a smaller guy wants to fight Orpik I would find it a little more understandable but still bizarre.  Erickson just missed the puck, it's not Orpik's job to make sure he is skilled enough to receive the puck.

Why should Orpik fight Thornton for delivering a hit???  Why would he fight your best fighter for delivering a hit???  How exactly is that in Orpik's or the Penguin's best interest to have a skilled player fight a meathead???

Not that he has to fight him necessarily but the hit didn't really look clean to me.

a) Eriksson already had a concussion this year and missed a good amount of time.

b) It looked, to me at least, that the puck went behind Eriksson and that he never played it/had possession.

If that's the case then a penalty should've been called for interference. If you fill in a guy who's come back from a concussion then you answer the bell or the Bruins go after Crosby IMO. That's just how these things go.

The officials could've diffused the situation, Orpik could've by fighting, Neal could've not added fuel to the fire. Lots of things went wrong. If that kind of thing happened to Kessel or whoever on the Leafs I'd be happy to lose Orr/McLaren to send a message to the offending team. Unfortunately Thornton is actually an effective hockey player.

Well it'd be more like Fraser or Phaneuf, and yeah I would.

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

 

[Bates]

Orpik did make a clean play???

 

[Kin]

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

Ah yes because, as we've seen in practically every game this year, the referees never make mistakes.

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

 

[Bates]

Maybe you could explain to us exactly what was wrong with the Orpik hit that should mean he should fight one of the top goons in the league?

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

Ah yes because, as we've seen in practically every game this year, the referees never make mistakes.

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Maybe you could explain to us exactly what was wrong with the Orpik hit that should mean he should fight one of the top goons in the league?

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

Ah yes because, as we've seen in practically every game this year, the referees never make mistakes.

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

I'm pretty sure I already made that clear if you care to look at my posts on the last few pages.

 

[Bates]

Orpik finished his check cleanly on a player about to receive the puck.  Erickson misjudged bounce and missed puck.  I see nothing wrong with that play. 

Maybe you could explain to us exactly what was wrong with the Orpik hit that should mean he should fight one of the top goons in the league?

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

Ah yes because, as we've seen in practically every game this year, the referees never make mistakes.

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

I'm pretty sure I already made that clear if you care to look at my posts on the last few pages.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

Sure. In this case, though, I think it was. Regardless, at worst it's an interference call caused by the bad bounce.

Right, but if the refs give that penalty for Orpik being careless then he's not on the ice for Thornton to attack.

We see refs throwing enforcers out all the time before things get out of hand, so it's not like diffusing bad situations is something new for NHL referees.

I think the situation was handled badly after a questionable hit which resulted in a recurring injury to a skill player. Add in Neal's knee to the head and I'm not at all surprised by the outcome.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Orpik finished his check cleanly on a player about to receive the puck.  Erickson misjudged bounce and missed puck.  I see nothing wrong with that play. 

Maybe you could explain to us exactly what was wrong with the Orpik hit that should mean he should fight one of the top goons in the league?

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

Ah yes because, as we've seen in practically every game this year, the referees never make mistakes.

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

I'm pretty sure I already made that clear if you care to look at my posts on the last few pages.

Well it's a matter of opinion obviously. I think it's a classic case of interference.

I think he makes contact with Eriksson's head, but maybe that's just me:

http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2013/12/7/5186822/orpik-hit-on-eriksson-and-the-thornton-hit-on-orpik-both-are-terrible

 

[Bates]

It could be interference but that's really not that big of a deal.  You can see all of Erickson's head even though the video is from behind Orpik.  There is no possible way he hits the head.

Orpik finished his check cleanly on a player about to receive the puck.  Erickson misjudged bounce and missed puck.  I see nothing wrong with that play. 

Maybe you could explain to us exactly what was wrong with the Orpik hit that should mean he should fight one of the top goons in the league?

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

Ah yes because, as we've seen in practically every game this year, the referees never make mistakes.

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

I'm pretty sure I already made that clear if you care to look at my posts on the last few pages.

Well it's a matter of opinion obviously. I think it's a classic case of interference.

I think he makes contact with Eriksson's head, but maybe that's just me:

http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2013/12/7/5186822/orpik-hit-on-eriksson-and-the-thornton-hit-on-orpik-both-are-terrible

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

It could be interference but that's really not that big of a deal.  You can see all of Erickson's head even though the video is from behind Orpik.  There is no possible way he hits the head.

Orpik finished his check cleanly on a player about to receive the puck.  Erickson misjudged bounce and missed puck.  I see nothing wrong with that play. 

Maybe you could explain to us exactly what was wrong with the Orpik hit that should mean he should fight one of the top goons in the league?

It is Orpik's job, as it is of all players in the league to make legal, clean plays as best they can.

Which, in the referee's eyes, is exactly what Orpik did.

Ah yes because, as we've seen in practically every game this year, the referees never make mistakes.

Just because the refs don't call it doesn't mean it was the right call.

I'm pretty sure I already made that clear if you care to look at my posts on the last few pages.

Well it's a matter of opinion obviously. I think it's a classic case of interference.

I think he makes contact with Eriksson's head, but maybe that's just me:

http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2013/12/7/5186822/orpik-hit-on-eriksson-and-the-thornton-hit-on-orpik-both-are-terrible

Well again, it's a matter of opinion. I can see it being possible from that video.

You're saying it's not a big deal? Well obviously it was to the guys in black and yellow on the ice. Chara and whoever is in left corner both see Eriksson not touch the puck, get interfered with, hit hard and injured.

Can you see how, to the guys on his team, that might be a big deal?

EDIT: Just reply without quoting as things are getting pretty long.

 

[Bates]

In last year's playoffs Chara was punching Crosby in the face while he was mearing a cage after returning from a broken jaw.  Excuse me if I don't care how the Bruins feel about the good hit.

 

[Kin]

You're saying it's not a big deal? Well obviously it was to the guys in black and yellow on the ice. Chara and whoever is in left corner both see Eriksson not touch the puck, get interfered with, hit hard and injured.

Can you see how, to the guys on his team, that might be a big deal?

Sure. Just like I understand, though disagree with, the thought process that said that Steve Moore shouldn't have hit Markus Naslund because Naslund is a better player than Moore. It still doesn't excuse the follow-up.