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In a game highlighted by fisticuffs and physicality seldom seen in the 'new' NHL, with the Bruins and Stars combined for 88 minutes in penalties on the night, it was B's winger Daniel Paille who became the story of the night with his ejection-worthy hit on Stars forward Raymond Sawada.
Sending Sawada down to the ice, and getting the boot with a match penalty for the NHL's new 'headshot' rule, this was the exactly the kind of hit the NHL wants to eliminate. Simple as that.
With Sawada coming into the Boston zone with the puck, the 26-year-old Paille came flying across the ice before leaving his feet, leaning with his elbow, and delivering a blindside hit to a vulnerably-positioned Stars forward. Now, this isn't about keeping your head up. It's not about the physical play being a part of the game, it's about keeping the players safe, and man, is Sawada lucky that he didn't get knocked out on this hit.
While we may look at this hit at first glance and say "Well, that's not so bad," the replay clearly show that Paille did leave his feet big time on the play.
"I mean it’s a bad hit, right?," Bruins defensemen Andrew Ference said. "That’s what they’re trying to get rid of and you can’t be hypocritical about it when it happens to you, and say it’s fine when your teammate does it."
Exactly. Now while the end result of this hit wasn't near the same stratosphere of the Matt Cooke hit on Marc Savard, it's worth a look.
Much like Paille's the hit comes from the blindside as the player leads with the arm with a blast directed for the head.
UPDATE at 11:58AM: Bruins announce that Paille has been given a four-game suspension by the NHL for his hit on Raymond Sawada..
Do you agree with this ruling?
ZACH HAMILL RECALLED FROM PROVIDENCE
On an unrelated-but-now-could-be-related note, the Bruins have recalled Zach Hamill from the Providence Bruins. Sitting with B's defensemen Mark Stuart in the press box for last night's contest, this is just the second career call-up for the 22-year-old.
Drafted by the Bruins with the 8th overall pick in the 2007 Draft, Hamill's progression in the AHL has often been criticized and written off as one of Boston's draft-day busts, but in 2010-11, the 5'11" center has bolstered his point production on a less-than-stellar P-Bruins squad.
Registering three goals and 25 assists in 44 games this year, and coming off a 2009-10 that saw him post a 14-30-44 line in 75 games last season, now is a more than fair opportunity for Hamill to earn the right to play in the Boston line-up.
"I think the one thing is that he’s been playing really well," Bruins coach Claude Julien said after last night's game. "In the last month he’s been outstanding and you certainly want to give him a shot and I think coming in is going to give him that opportunity."
If and when he suits up in a game for the Bruins, which seems likely for tomorrow against the Sharks given Paille's current disciplinary issues, it will be Hamill's second career game at the NHL level.
Making his NHL debut in last April's 4-3 shootout win over the Capitals on the final day of the regular season, Hamill tallied a secondary assist and finished the night with 12:08 of time-on-ice.
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