Rick Sadowski: Johnson: Haula deserves an Oscar; Mitchell closer to return

Definitely a flop. Candidate for first diving fine of the season

Sounds like EJ was warned after 1st period to stay away from headshots, after going after Granlund behind the net. Had he connected on that Haula hit, it could have been ugly. I still think it was reckless and have no issue with the game misconduct, especially if he was warned.
Avs have much bigger issues to worry about

Lol. So to me. I see Johnson hit the boards and he back hands Haula. Not elbow or anything to head. But on a side note. Im waiting for this Av's team to just implode.

Head was not targeted and Haula barely got touched. This isn't soccer, should have been a 2 minute elbow for EJ and a 2 minute embellishment for Haula.

Yeah, Haula should get the first fine of the season for this. Might have been worth a 2 minute minor, but pretending to be hurt when you barely got grazed, just to get a call, needs to be out of the game.

NHL needs to change it so any major penalty for head stuff means the player hit is required to go to the dressing room and get checked out for a concussion, spend 5 minutes in a dark room, all that jazz. If a player is actually hit, it's safer for them, and if not, it makes them less likely to fake it because they'll be off the ice for a while.

what we the avs have to do with that bottom 6

Yeah, Haula should get the first fine of the season for this. Might have been worth a 2 minute minor, but pretending to be hurt when you barely got grazed, just to get a call, needs to be out of the game.

NHL needs to change it so any major penalty for head stuff means the player hit is required to go to the dressing room and get checked out for a concussion, spend 5 minutes in a dark room, all that jazz. If a player is actually hit, it's safer for them, and if not, it makes them less likely to fake it because they'll be off the ice for a while.
- Antilles

I believe Haula did go to the locker room after that hit. Not sure about the "quiet room".

Haula definitely sold it but Johnson definitely targeted the head. He didn't connect but he was trying too, thats the only reason you would leap into a player with your arm raised. I assume the Ref's made the call on intent rather than result which I would like to see consistently done. I have no problem with Haula being called out for embellishment, because it was but to pretend Johnson wasn't head hunting is absurd.

Yeah, Haula should get the first fine of the season for this. Might have been worth a 2 minute minor, but pretending to be hurt when you barely got grazed, just to get a call, needs to be out of the game.

NHL needs to change it so any major penalty for head stuff means the player hit is required to go to the dressing room and get checked out for a concussion, spend 5 minutes in a dark room, all that jazz. If a player is actually hit, it's safer for them, and if not, it makes them less likely to fake it because they'll be off the ice for a while.
- Antilles

Fantastic idea! Lets punish the guys who take hits like this and don't get injured...

what we the avs have to do with that bottom 6

- DDM-Coga

LMAO

I don't see embellishment on Haula's part. I see a guy that basically got a forearm in the mouth. Granted, it wasn't full-on because Haula saw it coming at the last minute, but I don't see anything wrong with a player gathering himself for several seconds after a hit like that.

Fantastic idea! Lets punish the guys who take hits like this and don't get injured...
- sniper11

Keep your eye out for this one, he's full of brilliant ideas

I don't see embellishment on Haula's part. I see a guy that basically got a forearm in the mouth. Granted, it wasn't full-on because Haula saw it coming at the last minute, but I don't see anything wrong with a player gathering himself for several seconds after a hit like that.
- Chinaski

Just want to point out that there was a big contingent of wild fans/and just HB posters in general who said that with Barrie, giving him the fault saying that if he didn't try to avoid the hit he wouldn't have gotten that knee .

when plays like this happen, you get both extremes on either side of the spectrum giving their expert option of what other players was thinking or trying to do, sometimes we just need to keep the opinions to ourselves and let the league take care of it.

Do we know what EJ was thinking lining him up, did we know what Haula was thinking when he saw it coming? If we say we do, its just clear speculation on our part, and thats when that does happen i juss becomes tiresome dribble littering the threads. To me its a non issue and needs to be dropped, same as the Barrie hit in the playoffs

was texting with some friends who are big Minn fans during the game. one was at work and was just getting updates about the score etc. He asked if the penalty deserved the 5 and game. I told him that Huala 'Mike Smith'd' it.

Later that night watching the game DVR'd. he agreed.

(this post may someday be a live action production, depending on response)

To me its a non issue and needs to be dropped, same as the Barrie hit in the playoffs
- DDM-Coga

You're no fun

was texting with some friends who are big Minn fans during the game. one was at work and was just getting updates about the score etc. He asked if the penalty deserved the 5 and game. I told him that Huala 'Mike Smith'd' it.

Later that night watching the game DVR'd. he agreed.

(this post may someday be a live action production, depending on response)
- zedniksghost

Sounds like you're hanging with the wrong crowd my friend

Sounds like you're hanging with the wrong crowd my friend
- SotaPopinski

the other guy denied it. they can fight among themselves. personally, i just watch the colo-minn games because they are always exciting and fun to watch, like players on both teams, and the rivalry is really heating up in the last year or 2.

although i have to say Yeo looks like some villain from Smallville or something.

You're no fun
- SotaPopinski

well you guys have the healthy players and the Win, don't see what you can be upset about, its not like you have to play us in 5 games or anything...god I don't want to play you guys for a while. I want to see Wins...WINS DAMMIT

actually I want a goal first, then maybe some wins....

well you guys have the healthy players and the Win, don't see what you can be upset about, its not like you have to play us in 5 games or anything...god I don't want to play you guys for a while. I want to see Wins...WINS DAMMIT

actually I want a goal first, then maybe some wins....
- DDM-Coga

Good luck with all that, you greedy bahstahd! See you Feb 7

Just want to point out that there was a big contingent of wild fans/and just HB posters in general who said that with Barrie, giving him the fault saying that if he didn't try to avoid the hit he wouldn't have gotten that knee .

- DDM-Coga

Jesus Christ, please don't remind me that people blame Barrie for that hit last year. It's only the first week of the season.

Haula definitely sold it but Johnson definitely targeted the head. He didn't connect but he was trying too, thats the only reason you would leap into a player with your arm raised. I assume the Ref's made the call on intent rather than result which I would like to see consistently done. I have no problem with Haula being called out for embellishment, because it was but to pretend Johnson wasn't head hunting is absurd.
- belcherbd

Since when has the NHL called a penalty on intent? I'm not saying they shouldn't but in this case the embellishment got the call imho, not the intent.

Fantastic idea! Lets punish the guys who take hits like this and don't get injured...
- sniper11

People who don't get injured don't lie on the ice until a major penalty gets called. You're not injured, get up and let the refs make the call on the actual information. You act injured, you get treated like your injured.

Since when has the NHL called a penalty on intent? I'm not saying they shouldn't but in this case the embellishment got the call imho, not the intent.
- stljam

So the warning issued in between periods and the hit itself had nothing to do with it? The penalty was called immediately...the ref didn't wait to see Haulas performance afterward

Very lucky Haula was not injured. Johnson skated across the rink then left his feet on the hit. It was reckless and stupid. His response and Roy response are very telling. I think because of the climate emoitionally and the politics involved in this series MNWild players were all playing with their heads on a swivel given the Barrie/Cooke incident last year and then the comments made by Roy.

This was not a nothing deal. It was not a dive by Haula come on he probably sharted a bit there.