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Right? It's as if his horrribly dirty reputation is actually saving his ass here. Oh no! Everyone's picking on poor old Matt Cooke! Intention can never be proven so this is exactly the type of circumstance where "benefit of the doubt" SHOULD come into play. I mean why even keep track of past offenses and suspensions if you are not going to use them when the time comes? If there is ANY player in the league who should not get the benefit of the doubt it's MATT f***IN COOKE!! He stomped Karlsson's ankle plain and simple. esteef

After watching the video MANY times and knowing checks like this happen all the time, Cooke stomped the back of Karlsson's ankle with his skate. I think it's pretty clear. Of course we'll never know for sure, and you can bet your ass Cooke would never admit it if he did do it on purpose, but I don't think it was an accident. edit: The fact that this hit DOES happen all the time without a rash of players getting their legs sliced up only supports the notion that Cooke did this on purpose. Either that or we are supposed to believe that all hockey players from pee wee on up through juniors to the NHL know how to correctly finish this type of hit without cutting the opponent but Matt Cooke does not? Boooooools***. Matt Cooke hasn't changed, he's simply figured out how to disguise his cheap play better. He now knows he can't just come screaming across the ice and blindside headshot someone, he's got to make his cheapness look like an "accident". f*** Matt Cooke. esteef

Or was it? esteef

I thought White looked alright this game. Plays positionally well with Big E. Quincey looked like butt smear and Kindl just cannot get a shot through to save his life. esteef

Bertuzzi better be taking Franzen's spot on the top line instead of Cleary. And where is Sobotka for the Blues? Is he hurt or a scratch or something? esteef

Buck was probably comp'd those Blues season tickets. esteef

He agitated the entire U.S. and Canada! esteef

I liked watching Milbury bellyache about how John Scott is a goon and can't skate, can't pass, can't shoot, blah blah blah only because he pounded his boy Thornton down last time the teams played. It was delicious. esteef

What happens is Dats gets the benefit of the doubt because he actually plays pucks with his skate like that on purpose. Like in this case, he receives the pass at his feet either before or at the blue line, and the refs who are so accustomed to him using his feet gave him "possession" even though he technically skates ahead of the puck across the line. He maintained possession and no one was checking him for the refs to say he didn't have it. If that had been Tootoo it would've probably been called offsides. esteef

Any criticism Big E, or any other player for that matter (kindl, flip, franzen, etc), received at the time was deserved. When players play like crap there's gonna be complaining and griping, and rightfully so. Case in point, Cleary. Cleary has served us well in the past but looks like dog turd right now. He will continue to be the focal point of criticism until he improves his game. So spare us all the ridiculous "told ya so" comments when a player has a good game or stretch because it just makes the person saying it look childish. esteef

Edzo mentions the Wing's "subtle interference" even when he's calling other games. I watch a lot of hockey not just the Wings. Is Edzo knowledgeable, yes. Is he biased against the Wings, yes. For what it's worth I think the Kings crew is pretty good. esteef Low fives! esteef

Fresher legs. Wings just finushed a PP. esteef

You guys, the Wings got lucky that the puck "hit an ice patch" and went in. It's not cuz Big E found the 5 hole. Says Edzo. esteef

It's the same theme everytime Eddie O and Pierre call a Wings game. "How can the team playing the Wings beat the Wings." It's like reviewing tape with the opposing team's coaches. esteef

So does Cleary still deserve top line minutes? esteef

Nice job Cleary! esteef

Oh geez. What'll Eddie O and Pierre say now? Bunch of anti-Wings douchbags. esteef

Good stuff! The local San Diego Gulls team used to play these doods all the time. esteef

Big E's playing better cuz he ditched the capri pants. esteef

The CBC crew was horrible. I can still hear them talking about Schultz's "heavy" shot (even though it was a wrister). And when he was stoned by Jimmy earlier in the game, all they could talk about, as the replay was being shown mind you, was how great his instincts were and how excited they were about his potential. And oh yeah, Howard with the save. esteef

Sorry Oilers, the refs tried. esteef

CBC.esteef

Soft calls and ridiculously biased announcers. Booooooooo! esteef

VS. esteef

Still love this! Say what you want about his personality, the kid straight battled on the ice. esteef