Punch on Franzen?

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

I definitely think it was intentional.

I counted about a half dozen shots/nudges/etc to Frazen's noggin.

Cheap, dirty play. I guess they figure if they can't beat the Wings cleanly, they'll try to use any advantage they can.

Instead of the Philly's "Legion of Doom" maybe they're Pitt's "Legion of Dicks".

how about "Legion of overhyped, overatted whiners who Gary Roberts Molested when he was 25 and they were 5"

[truebladearmy 33]

A dive, or other suck move is not right, but ....it's nothing like punching a concussion victim in the head over and over.

The announcers will say repeatedly, "Maybe X team an draw a penalty and get a PP". That's part of the game. Do a well placed dive, and so be it....every team does it. No reason to argue.

But punches to a recovering concusion dude head? That's wrong. First off.....you can't punch a guy in the face randomly anyway. If it was legal, it would be a different story. You cannot run up and punch a guy in the face from behind.

Secondly, it happened multiple times, to amazingly, only a few people. Mostly, Franzen.

Ah well, Mules line scored two. Screw those guys

[NHLrules? 32]

You guys are shocked?

Roberts has been a gutless ****** his entire career.

Move along, nothing to see here.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

You guys are shocked?

Roberts has been a gutless ****** his entire career.

Move along, nothing to see here.

My thoughts exactly.

[The Secret 304]

Pens are a sore bunch of losers... thinking they owned everything only to be proven wrong, very wrong by a better team. Its obvious that the Pens are on the last page of their playbook already which lists excuses, complaining, fighting and losing as their objectives... and they are executing with perfection.

GO WINGS!

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I lost all respect I had for Gary Roberts tonight...a cheap, bush league stunt like that...terrible

QFT

This type of stuff is exactly what people are talking about when they say that players are running around without any respect for one another. Here's my beef though: If a guy has a known hand injury in the playoffs, I have no problem with a nice long finished check to the mid-section. If a guy has a known leg injury in the playoffs, I have no problem with a legal hip-check or finshing through the player along the boards. If a guy has a known head injury, think about what the f*** you are doing and how you would feel if someone was purposely trying to re-injure you on a part of your body that could not only lead to permanent damage, but trauma for the rest of your life. Don't get me wrong....I'm one of those that feels if you're healthy enough to be playing, you should be healthy enough to take legal hits to any part of your body, especially the injured part or you shouldn't be out there. However, skating by a guy with a known head injury and purposely hitting up high when you could've just as easily taken your frustrations out on their mid-section tells the whole story here.

It's a bulls*** move that shows zero respect and what type of person (not hockey player) you really are.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

No doubt about it the end stuff was intentionally. Just trying to show it happens both ways and 2 teams on the ice often do things intentionally like that. While some of that isn't necessarily "right", it's a part of the game.

Taking cheap *head*shots to a player that is playing his first game in 2 weeks due to a well-known head injury is not part of the game IMO. A cheapshot to someone's head is a different ball-game than hitting a guy with a leg, arm, hand or body injury.

[jvxp 0]

i just hope colin campbell was aknowledging the intent there on franzen...clearly they were head hunting him..pens should be ashamed of themselves....not only for their playing..

Roberts needs a one game suspension.

[toby91_ca 620]

Am I the only one that thought what Roberts did wasn't that big of a deal? Roberts normally throws a quick shot to the guys chest, but I think this punch to the face WAS INTENTIONAL, but so what? It's not like he threw a haymarker. I thought it was a very, very soft blow to be honest and I think 1 of 2 things happened:

- Franzen thought there was an elbow thrown and tried to sell it (i.e. wasn't hurt at all) - possible, but I'm not so sure

about this.

- Franzen could have gotten a thumb in the eye and was actually phased for a bit by this. I think this is the most

likely scenario as I just don't see how a punch like that could hurt anyone, even someone coming back from a

concussion.

[NHLrules? 32]

I think he took a thumb to the eye. Thats how it looked to me.

The thing that makes it a big deal, Roberts had no business hitting him in the head in the first place. He was no where near the play.

Like I said Roberts has always been a gutless ******.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I've always hated Roberts and thought of him as a cheap shot bastard.

It was completely intentional. He's a piece of s***.

Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel about him.

Seriously, though, McCarty needs to be dressed for the next game. I love Maltby, but we need someone in the lineup for when we blow them out in game 3, becuase they'll just try to goon it up again.

Lilja won't fight anyone as long as Laraque isn't in the lineup, because anyone else is no match for him.

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

The Penguins don't know how to handle playing against a team that is better than them, and they resort to cheap shots and bitching. It was definately intentional, and what pisses me off is the way Therrien whined after the game about Ozzie diving, considering what his guys did was much worse.

[C-Dub 0]

Seriously, though, McCarty needs to be dressed for the next game. I love Maltby, but we need someone in the lineup for when we blow them out in game 3, becuase they'll just try to goon it up again.

Maltby has far outplayed Mac so far in the playoffs, so I would be disappointed if Babcock puts Mac in just to fight someone. We have enough guys on the team that can put a hard hit on a guy if necessary and Drake isn't affraid to drop the gloves if needed. Mac is too slow to keep up with anyone on the Pittsburg lineup.

[TheUkrainian 49]

Roberts needs a one game suspension.

Roberts needs his ass handed to him on a platter by Datsyuk...I would freak out if I saw Pavel drop gloves with Roberts, or Hudler.

[ifonlyicouldskate 11]

You come from behind, on a guy that has been out for several games with a head injury/concusion like symptoms, and hit him with your fist in the face? Not an elbow. Not a hard check. A blatant fist strike to the head.

What do you guys think about this?

I think he meant to punch him in his head, I also think Franzen sold the punch like WWE style. Lets face it the guy was cleared to play, was he not? Had they any doubt that a punch or a stick to the face would of caused him a concusion that easily than he simply would not be playing. Seriously who care at this point? WE WON THE GAME! NOW LETS GO TO PITS AND TAKE TWO MORE!

Man my game 7 tickets are not looking very promising now!

[robat 13]

Roberts claims that his shoulder may have made contact with Franzen's head, but it was nothing intentional. HAHAHA!

[chuklz 15]

Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel about him.

Seriously, though, McCarty needs to be dressed for the next game. I love Maltby, but we need someone in the lineup for when we blow them out in game 3, becuase they'll just try to goon it up again.

Lilja won't fight anyone as long as Laraque isn't in the lineup, because anyone else is no match for him.

From what I saw last night Lilja wont fight at all. Dats was swinging away and Lilja just stood there.

[gowingsgo 3]

That punch was very Bertuzzi-like. Roberts should get a suspension for it

[jvxp 0]

That punch was very Bertuzzi-like. Roberts should get a suspension for it

I agree!!

[BlueMonk 102]

I just want a Red Wing to come out in Game 3 and punch Roberts in the face. Is that so much to ask? I don't think so.

[BlakChamber 8]

Am I the only one that thought what Roberts did wasn't that big of a deal? Roberts normally throws a quick shot to the guys chest, but I think this punch to the face WAS INTENTIONAL, but so what? It's not like he threw a haymarker. I thought it was a very, very soft blow to be honest and I think 1 of 2 things happened:

- Franzen thought there was an elbow thrown and tried to sell it (i.e. wasn't hurt at all) - possible, but I'm not so sure

about this.

- Franzen could have gotten a thumb in the eye and was actually phased for a bit by this. I think this is the most

likely scenario as I just don't see how a punch like that could hurt anyone, even someone coming back from a

concussion.

I thought it was a thumb in the eye or something similar as well. To me, the way he stayed down and the way he acted when he got up, and how he was right back out there make me think he wasn't selling it and it wasn't a hard hit.

That being said, it was a cheap shot. I'd like to see someone on the Wings drop the gloves next game.

[therock48880 14]

Roberts has always played like this. I also thought Franzen took a shot to the open eye, either the glove or a thumb, and that's why he went down. Either way, it was bush league by Roberts and even the Pittsburgh Gazetter agrees.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08148/885120-150.stm

[therock48880 14]

That punch was very Bertuzzi-like. Roberts should get a suspension for it

I couldn't disagree more. The two hits aren't even close to being the same.

[C-Dub 0]

That punch was very Bertuzzi-like. Roberts should get a suspension for it

It was Bertuzzi-like in the sense that someone swung a fist and made contact with a head. That is about where the comparison ends. Bertuzzi just about killed his opponent. Also, compared to Bertuzzi, I am convinced Roberts hits like the little girl he is.

So yeah, I want to see the league at least commenting on it, potentially a fine. I think a suspension might be a long haul. Is there anything in the rules that treats a previously injured player differently? I don't think so and to be honest I would be upset if Roberts hit anyone like this but what got me to point of boiling was that it was on Franzen and the sheer lowness, classlessness of such an action. I am surprised the Pens could play such a style without Laroque being in the lineup.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I think he meant to punch him in his head, I also think Franzen sold the punch like WWE style. Lets face it the guy was cleared to play, was he not? Had they any doubt that a punch or a stick to the face would of caused him a concusion that easily than he simply would not be playing. Seriously who care at this point? WE WON THE GAME! NOW LETS GO TO PITS AND TAKE TWO MORE!

QFT and a little bit of perspective. I expected to see a little blood or something. I think toby's right - either Franzen got a poke in the eye, which is pretty damn painful even if you're expecting it, or he was doing a little European soccer thing there. Could be a little bit of both - his motions from the bench after the play showed he thought there was an elbow.

Anyway, it only shows their desperation. It's about the only thing they had left to do, after being outskated, outworked, outshot, outscored, outeverythinged.