CLEAN HIT
- PoileRulezzzYo

Yeah, so was Weber's head shot on Zetterberg.

I don't see the issue with the hit - it may have been a bit late, but beyond that -meh..... Torres' momentum as he followed through on his hit is what brought his feet off the ice - he did not leave his feet, then hit him. He hit him, then his feet came off the ice ....

This is another classic example of why guys need to keep their heads up. Same thing with the hit in the St. Loius game the other night - buddy is against the boards, see's his opponent coming at him (to hit him), looks down at his feet to find the puck and gets lambasted ..... duh, what the hell else would you expect ?????

I feel bad for Hossa, but it was a good hockey hit ... but maybe a half a stride late.
- GadesnSens

Physically impossible..... he left his feet plain and simple.

Yeah, so was Weber's head shot on Zetterberg.
- blackhawk24

Hey man, that's just a good hard battle in the playoffs.

Sometimes, you just got ram some dudes head into the glass like you're Will Smith in Bad Boys 2 or something.

Yeah, so was Weber's head shot on Zetterberg.
- blackhawk24

I was kidding. Anyone can see that was not a good hit.

I think it's a bit of a double edged sword. The game is so fast right now that by the time Torres has decided to make the hit, it's too late to change course. People are saying it's about 0.8 seconds late and, like Rome in the Stanley Cup Final, Torres can't really be expected to divert in that amount of time. To take that hit out of the game, you have to slow the game down. It's impossible to get rid of it with the speed of today's game.
- Michael_Stuart

You're right , he cant be expeced to stop the hit , BUT HE CAN BE EXPECTED NOT TO JUMP INTO A PLAYERS HEAD . If he stays on the ice he delivers a nice clean hit to the chest , the little bastard jumps , leaves the ice and drills Hossa's head back into 1999.

This play is going to win the series for Phoenix,

And NOT ONLY THAT , fu ck ing Phoenix ended up with a power play !

Gm1: Obvious too many men on the ice call where the EXTRA GUY played the puck , not called on Phoenix and the puck ends up in the back of the Hawks net

Gm2: Phoenix goaltender Mike "flop like a punk female dog" Smith initiates contact with Toews and Toews gets a 2 minute minor for GI and the Yotes score on that Power Play

Shaw makes contact with the flopper and he lays there like he just took to .223 rounds to the throat. 5 minute major called ,when a 2 minute GI penalty would have been enough and the Yotes score late on that power play.

Gm3 : Torres , right in front of the linesman , right in between 2 officials , flying elbows HOSSA , not only does it not get called but the Hawks get a penalty on the play !! Wha t the f u c k ??

At the end of the 2nd period there is a little scrum at the Phoenix net , TOEWS is issued the ONLY penalty , what the hell is going on here ??

I think it's a bit of a double edged sword. The game is so fast right now that by the time Torres has decided to make the hit, it's too late to change course. People are saying it's about 0.8 seconds late and, like Rome in the Stanley Cup Final, Torres can't really be expected to divert in that amount of time. To take that hit out of the game, you have to slow the game down. It's impossible to get rid of it with the speed of today's game.
- Michael_Stuart

Completely agree.

When the game is this fast, players just react without thinking.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/video/latest/Hossa-stretchered-off

very classy announcers... classy. How's your b*tching about Smith. These announcers make me sick.
- HawksHype

Who's the tool doing the commentary? He thinks that's a clean hit? What's it going to take to clean this mess in the entire league? Brutal to watch, hope Hossa is ok. Meatheads ruining the game.

Completely agree.

When the game is this fast, players just react without thinking.
- jbold

It's not just about the time to react, it's changing the fact that like in this situation his reaction to hit was to go up high around the head and kill him, instead of hitting him in the chest or shoulder to take him out of the play and set him on his ass.

if bettman botches this one, everyone should call for his and shanahandjob's resignation or boycott watching! somehow because the so-called league owns the coyote's ,this will be swept under the table!
they refuse to believe or admit, that the phoenix hockey expirement is a bust! move the team to quebec or somewhere in the pacific northwest like seattle!
back to torres...........F'N bastaad!,what stung more is the lack of push back by the hawks!!

if bettman botches this one, everyone should call for his and shanahandjob's resignation or boycott watching! somehow because the so-called league owns the coyote's ,this will be swept under the table!
they refuse to believe or admit, that the phoenix hockey expirement is a bust! move the team to quebec or somewhere in the pacific northwest like seattle!
back to torres...........F'N bastaad!,what stung more is the lack of push back by the hawks!!
- wonthecup10

....How will Bettman botch a job that he doesn't do?

Physically impossible..... he left his feet plain and simple.
- burn

Physically impossible???? Now, when you make statements like that- it makes me think your ten.

Let's replay the practice you missed when they taught you how to make a hit .... you come in , bend at your knees, hit with your shoulder and follow through.

Now, when you're going 30 miles an hour (sorry that would be 48 Km/h) that momentum brings you off your feet. It's physics man .....

Don't slow the freakin' thing down frame by frame like they do on TSN .... watch it full speed ..... the refs made the right non-call

the whole issue is created by Hossa - you don't cut into the middle of the ice with your head down......

....How will Bettman botch a job that he doesn't do?
- jbold

Conspiracy

Adam French: Torres Hit: NHL Controversy
- AdamFrench

rule #1 keep your head up

rule #2 (see rule #1)

Physically impossible???? Now, when you make statements like that- it makes me think your ten.

Let's replay the practice you missed when they taught you how to make a hit .... you come in , bend at your knees, hit with your shoulder and follow through.

Now, when you're going 30 miles an hour (sorry that would be 48 Km/h) that momentum brings you off your feet. It's physics man .....

Don't slow the freakin' thing down frame by frame like they do on TSN .... watch it full speed ..... the refs made the right non-call

the whole issue is created by Hossa - you don't cut into the middle of the ice with your head down......
- GadesnSens

This would be correct. As you follow through the momentum created springs you upwards because the knees are bent. Simply physics at its finest.

The hit wasn't that bad. The result of the hit was that bad. You can't punish based on the result of a hit. People will be faking injuries left and right to gain advantage if that becomes the case. I would argue that Hossa didn't even have his head down. The principle point of contact wasn't only the head. Torres hit Hossa like a plank and got him from hips to head.

Adam French: Torres Hit: NHL Controversy
- AdamFrench

I have always appreciated hard hitting and have been slow to get on board with the tighter rules and suspensions for hits like last night. For example, I always liked Scott Stevens' hits (when some didn't). Go back to the 80s in general--so much of what went on would be tremendously problematic in today's game.

I thought Mitchell's hit on Toews was a great hit, didn't really think Ovechkin's hit on Campbell should've been suspended, thought Sedin's hit on Keith was fine (though I know why Keith got pissed), didn't have a big problem with Torres hit on Seabrook last year, etc. And I actually think Torres is a powerful hitter who plays right up to the edge, and I have often wished the Blackhawks had him. After watching the playoffs over the last week, and then the hit last night, I suppose maybe I am changing. The game has changed, and I have been as slow as anyone to realize it. I suppose I am finally ready to see hits like last night dealt with severely. We all know it's faster, the players are bigger, better coached (except the Blackhawks' PP and PK), better conditioned, etc.

The biggest gripe I suppose, voiced by everybody across the spectrum on all of these hits/suspensions, is the inconsitency. How on earth could Shaw be suspended three games for a collision, and then some of the other crap go unpunished or lightly punished (and that includes the Keith elbow--I wasn't one who griped about that, other than to say if they're going to go after this stuff, they needed to fine or suspend Sedin)?

Anyway, in a different era, last night's hit is fine, and I would have applauded it. After the last few years and the emerging concussion research, I am not so sure.