Comments on: Ovechkin hearing in progress; suspension likely?

By: RedBO

RedBO — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:46:05 +0000

Ovechkin didn’t start playing hockey two weeks ago. He knows as well as any other seasoned player what happens when you push someone in that position. It’s a well known fact that this is the usual result when you’re that vulnerable. Ovechkin’s style is dirty on and off the ice. It is proven and documented on both sides. He feels that because he is such a huge talent, he is without rules. Most russian athletes carry this attitude (plushenko’s platinum medal!)because they are trained to be that way. It’s just unfortunate that a certain few come to the U.S. and won’t conform to our organized rules. Make an example of him and hopefully make him think twice about putting someone’s career in jeopardy by compromising his.

By: RedBO

RedBO — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:34:22 +0000

By: Sav

Sav — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:28:06 +0000

Good to know Damien Cox feel for Colin Campbell.
Not Brian Campbell who has a broken clavicle and ribs and is done for the year, but that Colin has it bad.

By: Fred

Fred — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:57:56 +0000

how about this shots which are from the side angle along the goal line (and in order of play development): http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/2223/62552821.jpg http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5891/61372534.jpg http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/3723/94541962.jpg http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/6683/35612193.jpg perhaps that skate buckled from the shove....

By: talontbo

talontbo — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:16:06 +0000

Hey djsbadger
Your one of those Forum Posters that just refuses to watch video replays aren’t you.
The time clock is in the video.
Ovi begins lining up the check while Campbell has the puck. As Ovi comes in, Campbell drops the puck back to his right and into the boards. Less than 1 second later Ovi is engaged. LESS THAN 1 SECOND. Initiating a check is completely legal in this case.
The NHL SUSPENDS FOR 2 GAMES Ovi not because they think Ovi was wrong, but simply to placate Chicago. Which by the way, is my favorite team in the West. I would dearly love to see Chicago and Washington in the Finals… its a WIN WIN for me.
It is quite obvious we have very few objective Hockey Fans posting here.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:06:23 +0000

Where is the puck? Simple enough question, yet its not even visible in the picture.

By: CAPSFAN

CAPSFAN — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:01:29 +0000

Ovi’s hit was not dirty it was a typical hustle play like Ovi makes all of time. The fact is for the other players injuries to determine whether or not there will be a suspension or the length of that suspension is pure garbage. The NHL has been ranting for years about these types of hits and vicious blue line hits and fighting but nothing has ever been done. Now you have a superstar player who was attempting to make the same kind of play he makes every night and now the NHL is trying to sacrifice the Capitals post season. If you truly want to address these types of hits come up with a clear and concise penalty and punishment policy and advise the players on what type of hits the officals and league are going to be considering for punishment. The NFL is one of the most worthless leagues when it comes to this type stuff, football is an inherently violent sport and they fine and punish their players for simply playing the game hard. Hockey is better than football in my opinion but it is physical as well and the league is full of hard hitters and I don’t want to see the NHL go the route of the NFL and fine and suspend their players just for playing the game hard.

By: djsbadger

djsbadger — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:52:29 +0000

So the picture actually distorts where the hit came from? It appears there are a lot of idiot CAP fans for which Ovie can do no wrong. Maybe one of you geniuses can explain the distortion of the puck not even in the picture frame. Last time I checked, you can’t check players without the puck, and the pass was made well before the hit which is one of the reasons Cambell was not ready for it.

By: wowo21

wowo21 — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:30:11 +0000

Bottom line is he deserved the penatly and possibly a two game suspension. It wasn’t intentional but Ovi has a history of just doing stupid things. As a long time Caps fan I have to admit it. And for all you Pens fans, how can you compare Cindy Crosby to Ovi??? Both good players but Ovi is by far the most complete of the two.

By: talontbo

talontbo — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:14:25 +0000

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/assets_c/2010/03/hit%20from%20behind-7203.php
The angle of this picture distorts what really happened. It also fails to show the location of Ovi’s hands. Which are NOT ON THE BACK, but are in fact holding his stick and are up under Capmbells left arm.
Rotate the ANGLE 15 degree counter clockwise and you could make a case the Ovi was trying to get some nooky…
NHL.com has the video, in regular speed and slow motion, from the corner.
If you can’t honestly view the video, render a clear opinion and come away either for or against the severity of then I guess you need distorted screen caps.
Campbell was engaged before the Goal Line, the check was finished 4-5 feet from the boards.
At the moment Ovi engaged Campbell, Campbells right knees appears to buckle or he in facts lifts his right skate. No way could he hold his line without outside skate support. He keeps his skate down, then it is simply a rubout along the end boards and no harm no foul.

By: Ras

Ras — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:11:14 +0000

LOL Crosby is the definition of Cherry Picker.

By: cc

cc — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:52:49 +0000

shocker, of course you would think that, you are a hawk fan, too bad your sorry as team blew a 3-0 lead and the caps won anyway

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:24:48 +0000

I think that’s a very fair assessment. As a caps fan, I really don’t like it when Ovie makes plays like this. Boarding call yes, suspension no.

By: Brandon Worley

Brandon Worley — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:22:49 +0000

I love how you guys keep using the Gawker pic, here on PHT, where that picture originated. http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/assets_c/2010/03/hit%20from%20behind-7203.php

By: Fred

Fred — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:19:02 +0000

Hmm, how about that shoulder in the back giving a pushing/shoving motion towards the boards from many feet out: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/comment/11/2010/03/cf2fcd95379dae724dc2c99a8431f85b/original.jpg It tis a boarding penalty regardless of hit or push. It tis a dangerous play, that Ovie had enough time to not make. Bottom line, no reason for Ovie to make that play, but I think the correct penalties were called by the zebras, and quite frankly I do not think Ovie will be suspened. But still not reason for him to have made that play.

By: jigelow

jigelow — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:55:51 +0000

Full disclosure: I’m a Hawks fan.
Ovechkin is a passionate player. Define that as you will. I see him as someone who is on the ice, and isn’t thinking of maliciously injuring people, but he will hit people to make them hurt. Make them remember he’s coming. His hit on Campbell was a cheap shot. But I don’t see it as malicious. He knew what part of the ice they were on, he knew Campbell was showing his back. He wasn’t trying to put Campbell out, but he did want to put him in the boards. Unfortunately, since both skaters are quite fast, any pressure is greatly exaggerated. I would’ve liked to seen him play yesterday. I think he’s an amazing player. I like that he plays physical. I just see some of his behaviour similar to a toddler that gets to riled up and starts hitting his mates.

By: Fecteau

Fecteau — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:53:11 +0000

Tony, it might be also a team stance too. Those Pens have been in the final for two years, and the Caps are just the team to beat up on in the East. See all notes above… Most hockey fans are thowing Ovi to the wolves here…

By: talontbo

talontbo — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:49:06 +0000

Also, just to add this last bit.
For those donkeys that keep insisting Ovi’s hands were on Campbell’s back.
This is a flat out distortion.
Ovi’s hands were in fact tuck into Campbells left side and under the arm. This actually appears to have help roll Campbell over and prevent him from going head first. Ovi never actaully makes a direct pushing motion.
Campbell also looks as though he LIFTED his right skate allowing his weight to be shifted without support and this looks more like the true cause of the crash.

By: Fecteau

Fecteau — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:48:44 +0000

Rob Selby,
You’re really going to bring up the Gold Medal? I’ve never seen anyone say, hey, look at us Penguins fans, we had a guy on the Gold medal team. Yeah, so did 15-16 other NHL teams!!!! you idolize a guy who can’t even keep track of his sporting equipment. And we Caps fans are the retards?… Let me ask you this, do you like turtles???
You mustn’t have seen my earlier comment. Or you chose to ignore it… (probably the latter)
You know, everyone was ready for Crosby to bring home the gold. He chipped in one goal in the entire Olympics; it just so happened to be an important one. You know Iginla and Nash were the real stars on that team the entire Olympics so you might want to hush up on that…
Crosby has a Cup? I figured he didn’t have the neccessary tools to wear a cup… The sissy. I’m sure if Ovechkin had the babying that Crosby has has with Lemieux he’d have 8 Cups already (see, I have to talk illogically to these Pens fans, as Ovi’s only been in the league 5 years!)
Oh, and its fine, (I guess) to look strictly at the past to figure out what’s presently going on, but just so I know, how many wins do the Penguins have in the two games against the Caps this year??? (here’s a hint, it stars with a z and end in a ERO! I know, I was at game two in DC, where y’all took a lead and Ovi came back with a hat trick!) I’m sure everyone has been so impressed that the Pens barely beat the Caps last year and they had some pretty solid rental players, but lets see how that turns out for you this year.

By: Richard Hobbs

Richard Hobbs — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:45:52 +0000

I watched the hit and it looks worse if you don’t like the style of ovechkins play . he’s a bit of pest and cheap shot artist for such a skilled player .If you like the guy you are outraged. I find that elite players in any sport should take pains to avoid the kind of scrutiny that goes along with making poor decisions . Big Ben is an example of poor judgenment so is Plaxico so is Vick , so is bertuzzi for the same reason as ovechkin, what makes it more tragic is that tehse guys don’t need to do it .
I also don’t beleive the speed of the game issue, or the playing hard at the game issue, or the we have to define the rules so guys know what a hit is issue that evryone hides behind when the know they are offside .

By: john galt

john galt — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:40:33 +0000

These lame brains that hit from behind should be forced to take physics classes during their suspensions. It is obvious that they are studying cartoons on those long plane rides and it has given them a sense that, like the Looney Tunes Coyote, hockey players can be driven face first into an immovable object at high speed and just bounce right up and keep on playing like nothing happened.

By: Fred

Fred — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:39:34 +0000

Pretty damning pict: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/comment/11/2010/03/cf2fcd95379dae724dc2c99a8431f85b/original.jpg

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:38:36 +0000

I love Alex. I love the Caps. But that was a hit from behind into the boards and deserved the match penalty. He’s done similar stupid things before, so deserves a two-game suspension based on that alone. Bringing Campbell’s injury into it is not how the league has handled these things (ostensibly) in the past. Granted that there is little consistency between incidents, there can at least be consistency in the procedure. Otherwise, like someone else said, it looks like they’re making it up as they go along.

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:36:34 +0000

i’m betting crosby could take off a skate and cut off ovechkin’s head with it and only get a 2 minute minor for slashing.

By: GLD

GLD — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:32:10 +0000

Ovi, by all accounts is a TRUE HOCKEY PLAYER that needs no explanation.
Something that has not been mentioned here. When Campbell hit the ice and boards, Ovi was also falling. Ovi made every attempt not to slam his knees into Campbell. As a matter a fact, Ovi risked going into the boards and landing awkwardly.
Something else. Campbell pre fall (lost edge) torqued him over and he actually hit the boards more with a shoulder and back.
This was not the dangerous from behind Cross-check the sends a player into the boards HEAD FIRST risking a players NECK.
The penalty at best should have been roughing (2 min minor).
That Ovi was assessed a Major and then a Game Misconduct was just flat out wrong. Ovi did not target the head. Nor was there any on ice indication that an injury occurred to the head or face.
Something the rules say a ref can assess a Game Misconduct for.
Teams CRY, the League placates.
The Officials for a long time now, have increased their role in how a game plays out. Something that was obviously absent during the Olympics (and it made watching them so much better than in past years). Anyone who has watched hockey consistently knows this to be true.
I feel bad whenever a player is injured.
That said, punishing a player excessively for causing an un-intentional injury is wrong and the League should worry less about a TEAMS WHINING and do more to protect the on ice integrity of the game.

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:25:56 +0000

Holy mother of God if Ovie gets suspended for this when Cooke gets off scott-free for his thai boxing-style elbow to Savard’s head (which left him twitching unconscious on the ice) then we must obviously assume there is some SERIOUS bias at play in the NHL front office. The entire integrity of this league has been in question for some time, the last thing they need is more DIRECT EVIDENCE of a major anti-european stance.

By: Guitar Dude

Guitar Dude — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:07:04 +0000

Kind of hard to be pushing from behind is you hands are on the player’s numbers on the back of their jersey.

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:06:15 +0000

Since no one bothered to read the rules before posting here, so lets be clear things up:
- there is NO SUCH THING as a double minor for boarding.
- With a boarding injury, the correct call is a major penalty.
- If that injury is to the head, a game misconduct is automatic.
- A player with 2 game misconducts in the same season for physical fouls is to be suspended for 1 game.
If he would have used his shoulder instead of his hands, this wouldn’t be an issue. Whats worse is that he and his coach don’t offer any apology to the other guy, just downplays ending his season.

By: Rob Selby

Rob Selby — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:59:51 +0000

You Ovechkin defenders are delusional and retarded. You are all cavemen. Do all the homes in the Washington D.C. area still have bars on them?
Crosby has already got a cup and a gold medal. What do you punks have?
And, Milbury, if you are reading these posts, suck my ass, you S.O.B.

By: Fecteau

Fecteau — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:53:18 +0000

I’m amazed at how much conversation that’s going around today about the Ovechkin hit. As a Caps fan, I think he should have been penalized but suspension? It looked like a light push and Campbell lost his footing, not a dirty play like most non caps fans are talking about here.
I’m sick of the rivalry with the Caps and Pens fans, however. At the end of the day, Crosby and Ovechkin are both cherry pickers, so how about that?
The reality is, very few players are true complete players. Crosby gets pretty close, but he’s a Brendan Shanahan opportunistic garbage goal type guy, waiting for the puck to get to him. Like Lemieux, he does complain a lot. I’m not going to deny or admit that his or their complaints are legitimate…(I know Lemieux’s were, at least when it comes to obstruction)
Ovechkin also gets a nod since he also hits, forechecks, and does some things that aren’t neccesarily expected of him, but can coast in the defensive position. But do you think he can keep that intensity up the entire time he’s on the ice, offense or Defense???? Even Peter Forsberg, who I grew up idolizing, was like Ovechkin; when in the defensive zone, they coast and wait for the puck to come to them. On offense, get ready for sheer electricity! If you watch every team in the NHL, you’ll probably find 3-5 guys on each roster that is one dimensional. Look at Mike Green. He’s the same, but opposite. His position is D, but he focuses a lot more intently on offense. Sometimes this leads to odd man rushes. Doesn’t make for a perfect team player…
But when Green scores two goals and assists on a few more, and is responsible for one goal going in for the other team. that means he’s up 3 points… At the end of the day I like what he brings to the table (unlike Paul Coffey, while on my Hartford Whalers scored 3 goals but attempted to clear a puck twice and both times they went into the Whalers’ net???)
So can we please stop trying to figure out who’s the better overall player, or whatever is going on here? Crosby and Ovechkin are going to be the next Gretzky/Lemieux combo, a combo which is a necessity in order for the NHL to rise as a sport of choice in the United States. Lets get excited that both of them play in the US and not in Canada or the KHL… Can’t we focus on the greater good? That being we have a great rest of the year, no more serious injuries, and of course, a great Stanley Cup Playoff season!
Go CAPS!!!
Go Caps!