Bullpoop. Remember when Boyle was running/punching Erik Karlsson in game 1 of the playoffs a few years back? The next game, Matt Carkner went out, grabbed Boyle and just unloaded on him (Dubi got thrown out as a 3rd man in). Oddly enough, Boyle stopped going after EK for the rest of the series. Must have been a strange coincidence.
- jmatchett383

One anecdotal incident means nothing. Hit their profits and it'll work almost every time. Have players police themselves and it will work half the time maybe. As was the case with Cooke and Neal. People went after him and it never changed their behavior at all.

It will take a player getting permanently injured in one of these plays followed by the owners getting sued for negligence. One could argue Dubi's 1 game suspension is encouragement instead of a deterrent. Take 50 million out of the owners pockets and things will change over night.

Yes...and if you ran up to some random guy on the street and ran him over with a shoulder to the chest, you'd get locked up for aggravated assault.

I'm not forgiving Dubinsky, Oduya, or other random guy or saying the Dubi suspension was fair. Simply stating that actions that are arrestable offenses off-ice are allowable on-ice. Different set of rules (to an extent). Lastly, I don't think a "good hockey play" is usually followed up by a suspension, so the NHL didn't deem the Dubi cross-check a "good hockey play."
- jmatchett383

I don't disagree with that but precedent has already been set with the McSorley situation that dangerous situations that go beyond the normal standard of in-game play classify as assault. I'm not saying that any of these recent situations go to that level or warrant that type of action but it is definitely a possibility if a player is seriously injured from one of these reckless plays.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=100318

I also found this article I read last year about a 17yo player who was charged with assault for an attack on a player during game action.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/...-on-ice-assault-1.1323578

They were just a couple examples I could remember where it was deemed that in-game actions warranted criminal charges.

One anecdotal incident means nothing. Hit their profits and it'll work almost every time. Have players police themselves and it will work half the time maybe. As was the case with Cooke and Neal. People went after him and it never changed their behavior at all.
- jfkst1

Funny, what were the "dirty plays" that Cooke pulled after Thornton and Kane beat him up? Also, Neal won't drop them, which is why the removal of the instigator would be needed.

I'm not saying it's the answer, but this poop never happened (well, not nearly as much) back in the 80/90s when the players policed the game until the NHL decided to reduce fighting ten-fold.

It will take a player getting permanently injured in one of these plays followed by the owners getting sued for negligence. One could argue Dubi's 1 game suspension is encouragement instead of a deterrent. Take 50 million out of the owners pockets and things will change over night.
- madmike71

Right. Same reason the NFL changed. No one cares about purity of the game if profit margins start to decline.

I don't disagree with that but precedent has already been set with the McSorley situation that dangerous situations that go beyond the normal standard of in-game play classify as assault. I'm not saying that any of these recent situations go to that level or warrant that type of action but it is definitely a possibility if a player is seriously injured from one of these reckless plays.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=100318

I also found this article I read last year about a 17yo player who was charged with assault for an attack on a player during game action.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/...-on-ice-assault-1.1323578

They were just a couple examples I could remember where it was deemed that in-game actions warranted criminal charges.
- jaydogg1974

Yes, there are certain situations (like using your stick like a baseball bat on a player's brain) that warrant off-ice sanctions. To me, what Dubinsky did was not on that level. Granted, I would have given him minimum 5 games.

Is whining a prerequisite to being a Pens fan ?
- prismo

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/...e-penguins-whiners-again/

Tortorella said: “Pittsburgh whines enough for the whole league.”

Funny, what were the "dirty plays" that Cooke pulled after Thornton and Kane beat him up? Also, Neal won't drop them, which is why the removal of the instigator would be needed.

I'm not saying it's the answer, but this poop never happened (well, not nearly as much) back in the 80/90s when the players policed the game until the NHL decided to reduce fighting ten-fold.
- jmatchett383

Great comment, I'm with you 100%. The game is too soft now, it was better when the players got to decide what crossed the line.

Funny, what were the "dirty plays" that Cooke pulled after Thornton and Kane beat him up? Also, Neal won't drop them, which is why the removal of the instigator would be needed.

I'm not saying it's the answer, but this poop never happened (well, not nearly as much) back in the 80/90s when the players policed the game until the NHL decided to reduce fighting ten-fold.
- jmatchett383

That's a complete prevarication of the truth. Cooke never changed until he was suspended for a long time and had management talk to him. He changed dramatically after that and it had nothing to do with fighting. Neal has been in fights and he was dirty as hell.

Right. Same reason the NFL changed. No one cares about purity of the game if profit margins start to decline.
- jfkst1

The case would be a slam dunk.

Funny, what were the "dirty plays" that Cooke pulled after Thornton and Kane beat him up? Also, Neal won't drop them, which is why the removal of the instigator would be needed.

I'm not saying it's the answer, but this poop never happened (well, not nearly as much) back in the 80/90s when the players policed the game until the NHL decided to reduce fighting ten-fold.
- jmatchett383

I think it was more of a respect thing in the 80/90s than it was the players policing themselves. when a player back then said or did something to stop the action the other player respected it and stopped. players today have no respect for anything but their paycheck.

Right,

Yeah, Dubinsky intentionally cross-checked Crosby in a 0-0 game in front of the CBJ goal, and it may have kept Crosby out of one shift in the game. Pens followers, please stop crying about this, you're better than this.
- jkumpire

It's not the cross check. I think that the NHL needs to eliminate these kinds of plays because it leads to injuries frequently especially when its done into the boards, but this is a much bigger issue than that specific play and I'm not expecting the NHL to ever get around to protecting their players to that simple degree. The issue was when Dubinsky dished out his second cross check after Crosby was down with enough force to snap his stick. It was a scummy play of Nadmoican Suh proportions. It's the hockey equivalent of literally kicking a hurt player when he's on the turf in any other sport. There is no place for a play like that in athletic competitions. It shows an extreme lack of respect for your opponent and a general disregard for human decency.

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2015/11/29/hey-tortorella-called-the-penguins-whiners-again/

Tortorella said: “Pittsburgh whines enough for the whole league.”
- dmarsden2988

Isn't he the same guy that sh!t on himself up in Vancouver?

"Mr. Tortorella's actions in attempting to enter the Calgary Flames locker room after the first period were both dangerous and an embarrassment to the League,"

It's not the cross check. I think that the NHL needs to eliminate these kinds of plays because it leads to injuries frequently especially when its done into the boards, but this is a much bigger issue than that specific play and I'm not expecting the NHL to ever get around to protecting their players to that simple degree. The issue was when Dubinsky dished out his second cross check after Crosby was down with enough force to snap his stick. It was a scummy play of Nadmoican Suh proportions. It's the hockey equivalent of literally kicking a hurt player when he's on the turf in any other sport. There is no place for a play like that in athletic competitions. It shows an extreme lack of respect for your opponent and a general disregard for human decency.
- Victoro311

Not sure your logic has any place with these reactionaries.

- blacksheep1

2010–11 82 34 35 13 81 215 258 5th, Central Did not qualify
2011–12 82 29 46 7 65 202 262 5th, Central Did not qualify
2012–13 48 24 17 7 55 120 119 4th, Central Did not qualify
2013–14 82 43 32 7 93 231 216 4th, Metropolitan Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2–4 (Penguins)
2014–15 82 42 35 5 89 236 250 5th, Metropolitan Did not qualify

Not sure your logic has any place with these reactionaries.
- jfkst1

I get the hardnosed hockey arguments. I disagree with it due to the avoidable injuries that brand of hockey leads to, but I get the people who want refs to lax off on calls and excuse softer cross checks and slashes as wearing other players down. But I can't sympathize with people who excuse plays like Dubinsky's second cross check. As a person that grew up playing organized sports that disgusts me. No respect and no honor.

- blacksheep1

- blacksheep1

COLUMBUS 25 10 15 0 20

- smellmyfinger

- blacksheep1

- smellmyfinger

- blacksheep1

Look. There's GIFs of John Scott scoring and celebrating goals on the internet too. What's your point?

COLUMBUS 25 10 15 0 20


- madmike71

It's a 4 game difference with Pitt struggling and CBJ starting to find some success. I wouldn't be laughing much.