FlashyG

Tootoo is scratched, Sammy is on the top line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg and Bert is on the 4th line with Emmerton and Eaves

I don't think you're a hypocrite at all, although you did imply I was one when you called me a homer and said my opinion would be different if it were a Wing. We just have a difference of opinion when it comes to head shots. I can see your point as far as the lasting damage caused by them, but these guys are making millions of dollars to play an extremely rough sport and they all know the risks. I also don't know how a player can do "mental calculus" as you put it in a split second taking into account the improbable movement of his target. Some of the onus is on the person being hit to take the hit to the body and to not put his head in danger with his own movements. I think there are ways to minimize the damage caused by hits while still allowing the game to maintain a physical edge. A good start would be to get rid of the hard plastic in shoulder and elbow pads.

If Lydman isn't going to play in game 4 I don't expect Abby will either, even though I don't think he deserves a game. It seems when it comes to discipline in the NHL the extent of the injury determines the length of the suspension.

You've already conceded the head wasn't targeted, I've already shown that the head wasn't the primary point of contact, and Abby wasn't assessed a minor or major penalty for hitting to the head. There was a ref only a couple feet away looking straight at the hit and he didn't think it was a hit to the head or he would have put his arm up. The penalty was only called after Lydman didn't get up and even then it looked to be a linesman that claimed it was a charge.

Actually there is contact between their shoulders, Lydman turns slightly at that point which is why he took contact to his head. What that image does show conclusively to me is that Abby was targeting his shoulder NOT his head.

You need to brush up on the NHL rulebook. Intent is absolutely needed for a hit to the head penalty. Notice the bolded portion from the NHL's official rules.

Skating into a guy on one foot isn't considered jumping into a hit, no matter how much you try to stretch the definition of a jump. This image is as close to the moment of impact as you can find and as you can see they are shoulder to shoulder and Abby's skates are on the ice.

1. That isn't the point of contact, its several frames after. 2. While his right skate is airborne, his left skate is still firmly planted on the ice.

Abby made contact with his left skate still on the ice he did not jump INTO the hit. Kronwall may have been ejected but he was never disciplined by the league.

Actually, leaving your feet after initial contact is completely legal and the main reason Kronwall has never been diciplined for his hits. Personal attacks aside if this situation were reversed and Datsyuk or any other wing was injured on the play I'd be defending the hit just the same. Its a contact sport and all contact to the head is not illegal or avoidable. What is illegal is jumping INTO a hit, which we seem to disagree on in this instance. I don't think Abby left his feet prior to contacting Lydman, and I don't think the head was the principle point of contact. The head was contacted certainly but only after the shoulder to shoulder impact and as a result of the upward momentum of the hit. The only thing I don't like about the hit is because it's from the blindside, but by the letter of the NHL rules this isn't worthy of a suspension. That being said neither was Gryba's hit and he got 2 games so who knows what happens to Abby. It all depends on how badly Lydman is hurt. Datsyuk's hits have the element of surprise as nobody expects him to hit them. Also until this hit from Abdelkader neither he or Kronwall have ever even had a suspension or even a hearing from my recollection.

That other angle makes me feel even more confident that his left skate was still on the ice, and that the hit was shoulder to shoulder first then to the head. Lydman being hurt is the only reason that received a penalty at all. The comparisons to the Gryba hit aren't valid anyways since the only reason Gryba got suspended at all was because of the damage done to Eller and the visual of him laying out on the ice in a pool of blood.

To me the principle point of contact seems shoulder to shoulder and I think his left skate is still on the ice when contact is made. (His right skate might be as well but its behind a Duck player at the moment in question. If Lydman is hurt I'd expect a fine, but I don't think this is worth even the 5 minute major.

Not my work, but I thought it was funny and that it would be enjoyed here.

I definitely think Chicago is a better team than us, but I have a feeling that we'll beat them in a series if we met. There would be no pressure on the Wings at all having already done better than last year while rebuilding the roster, and without Lidstom. Combine that with facing a team that swept us in the regular season and who were far and away the best team in the league, nobody would be playing under pressure for us at all. That can be a dangerous thing in a playoff series especially for a goalie, and considering its the last time we'd meet as division rivals i'm sure the Wings would love nothing more than to head over to the east after ruining Chicago's dream season.

For some reason I have this strange picture in my head of 55 fan climbing up and peeping into the Red Wings windows snapping photos of them topless.

Lets hope this one goes better than last game, It would be nice to head back to Detroit with home ice advantage.

What is the ice in Anaheim made out of? seems hard to stay on your skates in there.

Abby!!!

Don't worry the puck has barely dropped

probably, I'm watching the ducks feed on a stream while waiting for TSN to switch over and the Ducks have only just taken the ice. I'd say there will still be a few minutes until puck drop.

Obviously some Islanders fans voted in mass #'s late in the voting period. There is no limit to how many times you can vote either, so maybe someone who hates Datsyuk or loves Grabner just spent an afternoon voting as many times as possible to slant the vote. I guess we'll have to vote more for Datsyuk in the next round.

In fairness, Tootoo had 0 shots and took a dumb penalty that led to the Ducks first goal. He also provides very little offence compared to Brunner and Nyquist. Also removing one of them would affect the special teams while taking Tootoo out doesn't affect them at all.

There was one for last game, it didn't prove effective.

Bank on that? I would be surprised if any one of those 3 were named captain. Dekeyser probably has the best shot, but the way Smith is playing he might not even be a Wing when Z retires. When Datsyuk retires and heads back to Russia we will likely find out who the next captain will be. It will be the guy who gets his A.