NHL Discipline Czar, Colin Campbell, has rendered his verdict and has lowered the gavel on Patrick Kaleta. The two game suspension, without pay, is the result of PK's hit on Flyer rookie Jared Ross in Friday's game in Philly.
I see equal parts culpability on this play. Ross is a rookie, playing in only his third NHL game. I think he should have handled the play better than he did. He shoud have moved his feet and faced the play. Emery gave the puck to Ross while he was in sniper fire. Perhaps the better play was for the goalie to move the puck to a man not under duress. Kaleta could have veered off to avoid contact, however, thats not his game.
Kaleta knows better than to hit a guy from behind. He earned the suspension and he'll serve it. Watch the replay and you'll see Kaleta committing to hit Ross's right shoulder. It appears as though Kaleta's intent was to finish the check shoulder to shoulder, not his shoulder to Ross's back. Ross moves the puck up the wall just before kaleta made contact. It was a bang-bang play that was made in the trapezoid, an area not known ofr his luxurioous room to move around. Fast hands, fast feet, and fast decisions have to be made on every shift in the NHL.
This suspension will draw the ire of NHL players who are drawn into these types of penalties every night in the NHL.
Ross played the puck on the Moddell sign on the end wall. In plain view, Ross saw the forechecker coming with a head of steam. As Kaleta commits to the hit, Ross turned his body to release the puck up the wall. Kaleta was bearing down with speed and was locked in on finishing his check. Ross can learn from this type of play. You're not in the NHL anymore, Rook. The guys hit harder and skate faster in the NHL than they do "The A".
The forechecker cannot stop himself in mid flight. Its not possible to hit the "pause" button once you've commited to finishing your check. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.
Let me be clear:
Hitting from behind is not acceptable in hockey. Its dangerous, wreckless, and cowardly. I'm not condoning it at all. There is an alarming trend this season of players getting run from behind and it has to be curtailed before someone gets seriously injured.
Ask any NHL GM, coach, or player and they'll tell you that more and more players are using the hit from behind as a tactic to place the opponent at a manpower disadvantage at critical times in games. I'm not saying that thats what Ross was doing. There are hits that happen within the context of a hard played hockey shift that are not intentional. Then, there are hits from behind that appear to be nothing more than to send a message to an opposing player.
Alex Ovechkin boarded Kaleta on Wednesday night in Washington. You'll notice thaat AO tracked PK and backstabbed the unsuspecting man with the puck.
The faux pas will cost Kaleta $5,414.50.
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Nathan Paetsch will take Kaleta's spot in the Buffalo lineup tonight.
Matt Ellis will slide to centre in place of Goose.
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