Right. Just watching the video in slow motion, you can see Ritchie's point of view. Had Perry actually been hurt on the play instead of just selling it for a penalty and Rozy still got popped as he did, I don't know if Ritchie would've been suspended at all.
- Assman22

Suspensions like this are a good step, but the league, as is always the complaint, needs to be consistent with their punishments. Marchand gets a 2 game suspension for meaningless games and no playoffs missed for trying to hack someones nuts off. Crosby does the same PLUS carves off the end of Methots finger all in the span of a couple of games and gets nothing. Perry gets nothing for a brutal late hit on Hartman. Start policing and penalizing the acts consistently and they will stop. If the league is not gonna let players take care of it themselves (pre-instigator rules), then they need to do a better job of it, even if it means a Crosby sits his whiney butt down for a few games.

Suspensions like this are a good step, but the league, as is always the complaint, needs to be consistent with their punishments. Marchand gets a 2 game suspension for meaningless games and no playoffs missed for trying to hack someones nuts off. Crosby does the same PLUS carves off the end of Methots finger all in the span of a couple of games and gets nothing. Perry gets nothing for a brutal late hit on Hartman. Start policing and penalizing the acts consistently and they will stop. If the league is not gonna let players take care of it themselves (pre-instigator rules), then they need to do a better job of it, even if it means a Crosby sits his whiney butt down for a few games.
- TheTrob

Agreed, Crosby should've been suspended. Ritchie getting 1 playoff game is also equal to what 4-5 regular season games if you think about it? 1 playoff game alone is a lot. Instigator rule is and always has been a joke. NHL has a lot to change but these are two big starting points.

Raanta backing up The King in NYC. Secretly rooting for Shaw and Habs so he can have an early summer......

Agreed, Crosby should've been suspended. Ritchie getting 1 playoff game is also equal to what 4-5 regular season games if you think about it? 1 playoff game alone is a lot. Instigator rule is and always has been a joke. NHL has a lot to change but these are two big starting points.
- Assman22

Players don't get a salary in the post season so the second game only costs per deim

Dang. Ottawa is flying.

GO PLAYOFF HOCKEY!!!!

Remove the fuxkin tin foil from your face and re read what I wrote. Wild as in crazy.
- mrpaulish

Uptight are we? It was a joke.......

Suspensions like this are a good step, but the league, as is always the complaint, needs to be consistent with their punishments. Marchand gets a 2 game suspension for meaningless games and no playoffs missed for trying to hack someones nuts off. Crosby does the same PLUS carves off the end of Methots finger all in the span of a couple of games and gets nothing. Perry gets nothing for a brutal late hit on Hartman. Start policing and penalizing the acts consistently and they will stop. If the league is not gonna let players take care of it themselves (pre-instigator rules), then they need to do a better job of it, even if it means a Crosby sits his whiney butt down for a few games.
- TheTrob

bettmans and good ole boys NHL will never clean up this league...they think this is "great" hockey and the fans luv it...

cheap shot cross checks and slashes: should be a double minor, penalty plus two min for unsportsmanlike

cheap shot sucker punch toward an unsuspecting player: 5 min major and game misconduct

Watching the Rangers Habs in Se'ries Eliminatories de La COUPE STANLEY

Is it me or does Vesey play a soft one way game?

I hear ya. That would be best. But superstars are the only ones to get that protection. The regular slug needs all the help he can get. I'll always take a killer even if it's just for insurance. If the hawks had a Charlie or Probie does that kid still take that shot? I don't think so. And if he still does he joins Rosival in going to the dressing room.

Just to be clear, I hate that a guy has to wind up in a fight just because he throws a stiff legal check. Tell the guy who got hit to keep his head up. And I also hate sucker punches or backstabbers.

One thing that has been true since the league's inception and will always be true: Players play different depending on who has the baddest ass on their team. They just do.
- 6628

Agree 1000%! Get rid of the instigator rule and watch the game clean up. Real Fast! It's like a pitcher in the American league drilling guys because he can hide behind the DH. Make em bat and face pitching or his guys will get drilled, that cheap crap will stop real fast! Beatin a dead horse here anyway, Bettman is a P--sy, so talkin to the wall here! I agree, good hard legal checks were the norm back in the 80's . This is one that the players as a whole have to get together on and agree that those hard clean checks are what you signed up for, play on. Police the game when it gets cheap boys!
On to Rosy's sucker punch , if not him, someone on that team better pony up and make that little twit on the Ducks pay the next time they play! Phu ck the suspension and penalty crap, Someone beat Ritchie's ass the next time they play? No? Then go watch figure skating then! That burned me up just watching that cheap crap!

Agree 1000%! Get rid of the instigator rule and watch the game clean up. Real Fast! It's like a pitcher in the American league drilling guys because he can hide behind the DH. Make em bat and face pitching or his guys will get drilled, that cheap crap will stop real fast! Beatin a dead horse here anyway, Bettman is a P--sy, so talkin to the wall here! I agree, good hard legal checks were the norm back in the 80's . This is one that the players as a whole have to get together on and agree that those hard clean checks are what you signed up for, play on. Police the game when it gets cheap boys!
On to Rosy's sucker punch , if not him, someone on that team better pony up and make that little twit on the Ducks pay the next time they play! Phu ck the suspension and penalty crap, Someone beat Ritchie's ass the next time they play? No? Then go watch figure skating then! That burned me up just watching that cheap crap!
- wonthecup10

Especially because Ritchie was "standing up" for Perry, an all-time douche nozzle. Rozi's cross check on Perry likely made it 1 on Perry, to the 15 he threw in that game alone.

I just don't get the continual Hitchcock love in this league
- Assman22

Someone please explain exactly what Hitchcock brings to the Stars that Ruff could not provide. Both have experience and I dispell the notion that Hitchcock post season success means much- actually it is less than anything to gloat about.

Looking down the road the Stars will remain about the same until the defense and goaltending improves. That is on Nill nearly 100%. He has some kids on defense whom might improve - I do not believe Johns, though, gets much better - but their goaltending is subpar.

Maybe the Stars develop more into an irresponsible, reckless crew as the Blues were with Backes and Hitchcock.

So I not mind Hitch reunion although for the sake of competitiveness a talented Stars roster is now closer to a dumpster than advancing toward The Holy Grail.

Agree 1000%! Get rid of the instigator rule and watch the game clean up. Real Fast! It's like a pitcher in the American league drilling guys because he can hide behind the DH. Make em bat and face pitching or his guys will get drilled, that cheap crap will stop real fast! Beatin a dead horse here anyway, Bettman is a P--sy, so talkin to the wall here! I agree, good hard legal checks were the norm back in the 80's . This is one that the players as a whole have to get together on and agree that those hard clean checks are what you signed up for, play on. Police the game when it gets cheap boys!
On to Rosy's sucker punch , if not him, someone on that team better pony up and make that little twit on the Ducks pay the next time they play! Phu ck the suspension and penalty crap, Someone beat Ritchie's ass the next time they play? No? Then go watch figure skating then! That burned me up just watching that cheap crap!
- wonthecup10

Totally Agree....unfortunately, we will never see a Quenneville coached team enforce much of anything. All of his team's have played pretty much hit free/ no retaliate hockey since he's been here. If nobody ever took a run at Raffi Torres after his vicious cheap shot on Marian Hossa a few years ago, do you actually think somebody would be allowed to run at Ritchie ?? We all would love to see the Hawks play tough guys, but it's not their system. We may see that again someday when Q is gone, but that will be the time when Stanley Cups are just a memory.

Players don't get a salary in the post season so the second game only costs per deim
- 6628

Who said anything about money/salary?!

Dang. Ottawa is flying.

GO PLAYOFF HOCKEY!!!!
- hocktock

A rookie with only a few AHL games, age 19 i believe, steps into Bruins lineup.game one his NHL indoctrination.

He had over 24 TOI. (Believe it!). McAvoy. #1 2016 from either BC or BU Hockey East.

Who said anything about money/salary?!
- Assman22

(1 playoff game equal to 5 regular season games)
I was thinking money. Sorry, I swung and missed. Long day.

Blues v Wild OT in game 1.
I'm rooting for 3OTs

At work and not paying close attention to tonight's games, but I hear the Wild sent their game with the Blues to OT late...

...Pulled the goaler I'm guessing?

At work and not paying close attention to tonight's games, but I hear the Wild sent their game with the Blues to OT late...

...Pulled the goaler I'm guessing?
- ArlingtonRob

at 19:37. didn't see it either

I never really know which team I'm rooting for until I start watching and feel it. I though it'd be the Wild but it is definitely the Blues. Weird.

at 19:37. didn't see it either
- matt_ahrens

Guess it didn't matter.

Jake Allen steals it for the Blues.

Sad trombone for the Wild.

I never really know which team I'm rooting for until I start watching and feel it. I though it'd be the Wild but it is definitely the Blues. Weird.
- matt_ahrens

I'm the exact same way in some matchups. Unless it's the Habs...

...I'll never be able to pull for the Habs.

I'm pulling for the Wild myself...if for no other reason than I just like the state of Minnesota and most of the folks I've met from there...beautiful state. Besides, MN is a great "hockey state" so it's good for the league if the the Wild are good. Hope it's a long series with the Wild winning in 7.

Although, playing (and defeating) the Blues is always sweet.

I'm the exact same way in some matchups. Unless it's the Habs...

...I'll never be able to pull for the Habs.

I'm pulling for the Wild myself...if for no other reason than I just like the state of Minnesota and most of the folks I've met from there...beautiful state. Besides, MN is a great "hockey state" so it's good for the league if the the Wild are good. Hope it's a long series with the Wild winning in 7.

Although, playing (and defeating) the Blues is always sweet.
- ArlingtonRob

The Wild don't have a Tarasenko, man that guys is good.

And after a slow start, the Sharks exposed the Oiler defence for what it is - not very good.

I'm the exact same way in some matchups. Unless it's the Habs...

...I'll never be able to pull for the Habs.

I'm pulling for the Wild myself...if for no other reason than I just like the state of Minnesota and most of the folks I've met from there...beautiful state. Besides, MN is a great "hockey state" so it's good for the league if the the Wild are good. Hope it's a long series with the Wild winning in 7.
I too like to see hockey enthusiastic state of Minnesota enjoy wild ridein playoffs. But don't you think Wild is the tougher foe than a weaker, thinned out 2017 Blues?

Although, playing (and defeating) the Blues is always sweet.
- ArlingtonRob

I'm the exact same way in some matchups. Unless it's the Habs...

...I'll never be able to pull for the Habs.

I'm pulling for the Wild myself...if for no other reason than I just like the state of Minnesota and most of the folks I've met from there...beautiful state. Besides, MN is a great "hockey state" so it's good for the league if the the Wild are good. Hope it's a long series with the Wild winning in 7.

Although, playing (and defeating) the Blues is always sweet.
- ArlingtonRob

Ah, this just made me realize why I'm rooting for the Blues. I've been in a months - maybe year - long political debate with an old high school and college friend and HE is a Wild fan and I want him to be miserable. I know that makes me a bad person, I just do.

No one at Rockford impressed me. Players with experience wouls play protected minutes if no other way. Latta is = Desjardins + more aggressive & descent face offs. Pokka looks polished but then je xommits turnovers. Lundberg is difficult to judge as a defensive player on a bad team.....I didn't focus on him. Baun is an energy gorward who started scoring some second half of season. Dowell.is strictly AHL fodder.

Svedberg injured or scratched most of second half season. Gistafsson was their main guy but he remains a rag doll notorious for the turnover vs the Blues. Norell looks good in spurts but is least TOI usually. The player I like is Dahlgren. Smooth moving he gets involved in play whether unloading a shot, skating and making a play, or stepping in to break up a rush against. For a big man, however, he is too passive near his net. I foresee how a GM thinks, under rated better than you think third pair NHL. Maybe he gets there one day.

Goaltenders. Johnsson is ok, doesn't show as sure fire. Glass maybe could play as NHL back up.

None of the newbie signees show me great potential. I see slow skating or big stride not aggressive Iocopala and Bondra. The former is just a shooter and the later hadn't TOI to show much. Louis looks like he is playing rat hockey. Fortin is the protypical wing and DeBrincat a skill guy who probably benefits some AHL to practice elusiveness so that he survives against big size men in the NHL. I am sure that fast OHL LW in camp goes to Rockford - forgot his name.