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Panthers demand action for Abdelkader hit on Barkov |
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Is Justin Abdelkader in trouble?
Is Abdelkader a cheap-shot artist?
The Florida Panthers think so, but the Detroit Red Wings and Abdelkader himself beg to differ.
Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, who shares the team scoring lead with 16 goals, did not return to action in Monday’s 3-0 Detroit win at Joe Louis Arena after absorbing a punishing second-period bodycheck from Red Wings left-winger Abdelkader, who was not penalized on the play.
“It was a cheap hit,” Florida center Nick Bjugstad insisted. “It was a head shot.
“I don't know why the ref didn't call it.”
The Wings felt they knew what it wasn’t called, because they saw nothing wrong with the hit.
“Obviously I’m not trying to hit him in the head or contact him that way,” Abdelkader said. “I thought my feet were down and I thought I followed through his body but sometimes those hits can change momentum.
“Hopefully he’s all right. I don’t think he returned but hopefully he’s all right.”
Barkov departed with what was described as an upper-body injury and that left the Panthers looking for something in the way of supplemental discipline to be headed Abdelkader’s way from the NHL’s department of player safety.
The Wings believe that it would be unwise of the Panthers to hold their breath while they are waiting.
“From my vantage point, both live and then when I watched the replay, I thought it was a totally clean hit,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “My understanding of the rule is he hit right through the body, but I thought it was a totally clean hit, just a good hockey hit.”
Abdelkader was suspended two games during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs for a charge on Anaheim Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman. He also incurred a three-game suspension from the IIHF while playing for the United States during the 2014 world championship for a head hit on Czech Republic forward Vladimir Sobotka.
Regardless, Abdelkader was adamant that he is not a dirty player and that the check on Barkov was not a dirty hit.
“I’m the type of player that is going to go out and play hard and my job is to go out there and finish checks,” Abdelkader said. “I don’t think I’m a cheap player or try to make cheap shots out there.
“I don’t think I was coming into the hit with my elbows or my arms up. I was coming in to finish his body. His head was a little low I guess but at the same time, I thought I finished through his body.
“I’m not trying to make it cheap but I guess those guys can talk whatever they want about it.”
Euro Twins Activate
Playing for the second straight game on a line with Abdelkader and captain Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk scored twice for the Wings, the second a pretty breakaway goal initiated from a Zetterberg feed.
“I hope we just keeping going, find it more together and whole team come together and play better,” Datsyuk said. “I think it’s everybody having good chemistry and everyone in a good mood.
“Everybody play hard. Everybody understand what we need from us.”
Petr Power
Blocking 23 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and ninth of his NHL career, Detroit’s Petr Mrazek put himself into rarefied territory.
Those nine shutouts have been delivered in 76 games, an average of one shutout every 8.4 games. That’s the best shutouts to games played ratio posted by a Red Wings goaltender since 1929, when the NHL opened up the game by allowing forward passing in all three zones on the ice.
Hall of famers Terry Sawchuk (8.63 games) and Dominik Hasek (8.8) are 2-3 on this list behind Mrazek.
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