CenterIce 83 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 The end of the video gives the best look at the hit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
McCartyFanForLife 17 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Excellent hit. Good to see a great hip check in today's NHL. Malkin was dumb for jumping. Crosby is a prick for trying to fight after the hit. Ballard Hit = Completely legal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skacore 2 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 I don't like a lot of Ballard's hits but this one was beautiful. Perfectly clean and it was Malkin's fault for trying to leap over him.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scotzman 29 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 The whole "clean hit" not allowed anymore statement isn't always true... I think the hit was clean, but Malkin is probably the best player on your team. If someone did that to Yzerman back in the Probert/Kocur days, there would be retribution. In fact, Gerry Galant would have beat the guys ass... You have to respect Crosby on one level for sticking up for Malkin, but at the same time, the little twerp has a damn shield on and probably thought the rest of his teamates would rush in too. The hit was "pretty" clean... borderline. If you have guys that are willing to protect your star players, I think the accountability factor is fine and dandy. Crosby shouldn't be fighting guys though... I appreciate his willingness, but he is more important to his team on the ice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DatsMyWings13 4 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Didn't look dirty to me. Looks like a hit Vladimir Konstantinov use to lay on people Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wings_Toledo 233 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Nothing wrong with that one. I agree with being sick of seeing retaliation after a good, clean hit like that. At least Crosby didn't go for the jewels this time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Good hit. Decent fight. Great hockey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chunkylover 26 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Crosby was right to take offense at that hit, although he shouldn't have picked that particular fight. Malkin didn't jump but was on one leg because of his last-second kick-pass, but Ballard did take his legs out; it wasn't a hip-to-hip check. Not intentionally dirty or anything, but worth a tripping call. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tweekvp 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Beautiful hit. Nothing borderline about it and no retaliation was called for. Those type of hits need to be part of the game! Retaliation for them just shows how stuck-up and spoiled some of the kids playing in the NHL really are. I haven't checked the box score but I hope Crosby got the instigator for the fight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FinWing 26 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Crosby is a fighter now? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Crosby is a fighter now? No he is a hockey player that sticks up for his teammates by fighting. Something the Red Wings aren't huge on so you are probably not used to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chunkylover 26 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Crosby is a fighter now? He shouldn't be, but I understand why he's doing it. Maybe the ghost of Gary Roberts has possessed him. You could see Guerin hovering around in case things got hairy for Sid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AtomicPunk 296 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Not dirty at ALL. Rob Blake made a career out of these. The fight was lame, you put a clean hit on a guy and then you have to stand up for it? BS. Not to mention it sent Crosby to the bench for 5 or more. Nice. Way to help your team, Sid. Real tough. Sid could have broken his hand, and how nice that would be for the playoff run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltgator333 3 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Not a thing wrong with that hit, other than Malkin trying to jump out of the way. That's the only thing that makes that look even remotely bad. Crosby belongs in the tool shed with the other tools for trying to fight him over that. That's what made the whole situation bad was him trying to fight over it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FinWing 26 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 No he is a hockey player that sticks up for his teammates by fighting. Something the Red Wings aren't huge on so you are probably not used to it. I just don't see what there is to stand up for in a clean hit. He could respond with some physical play of his own instead of pulling this stuff. Not that I really care though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 perfectly clean hip check... if Malkin didn't want to get upended, he wouldn't have tried to leap and wouldve just ducked down and taken the hit like a man... afterwards, Ballard still won the fight too, so all and all, Ballard did everything right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tino59 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Dumb, just dumb. Back in the day, would I want Steve Yzerman fighting somebody for putting a hard, clean hit on Fedorov? Heck no! I agree with the announcers, you don't fight somebody for a clean hit. A dirty one, absolutely. In hockey, you retaliate with a nice clean hit of your own! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 I just don't see what there is to stand up for in a clean hit. He could respond with some physical play of his own instead of pulling this stuff. Not that I really care though. It wasn't so much of a matter Crosby thinking it was dirty. But when one of your best players gets checked like that he has to expect something to happen. It's how hockey has always been. It was a Power Play and Crosby was the closest to Ballard so he took it into his hands, I think it was a fair play by both players. I'm sure Ballard was happy to fight Crosby, I'm sure Crosby wanted to spark up his team via a fight. Fair play all-around, imo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FinWing 26 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 It wasn't so much of a matter Crosby thinking it was dirty. But when one of your best players gets checked like that he has to expect something to happen. It's how hockey has always been. It was a Power Play and Crosby was the closest to Ballard so he took it into his hands, I think it was a fair play by both players. I'm sure Ballard was happy to fight Crosby, I'm sure Crosby wanted to spark up his team via a fight. Fair play all-around, imo. Fair enough. I like this response of yours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edicius 3,269 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Fantastic hit. Glad Crosby got the instigator. Good jorb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tino59 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 It wasn't so much of a matter Crosby thinking it was dirty. But when one of your best players gets checked like that he has to expect something to happen. It's how hockey has always been. It was a Power Play and Crosby was the closest to Ballard so he took it into his hands, I think it was a fair play by both players. I'm sure Ballard was happy to fight Crosby, I'm sure Crosby wanted to spark up his team via a fight. Fair play all-around, imo. Fair enough, but having one of your best players going to the penalty box for 5 minutes and while on a power play doesn't make a lick of sense to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Fair enough, but having one of your best players going to the penalty box for 5 minutes and while on a power play doesn't make a lick of sense to me. Yeah I can definitely see that angle too. But I'm sure it was just instinctive play by Crosby and it made for a good show. Can't complain Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CenterIce 83 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 NHL.com article on the hit, including player responses. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=416903&...id=rss-mcgourty Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Ruff 47 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 (edited) IMO the hit was legal/"clean", but a response to a hit like that on your MVP is also appropriate... Edited April 6, 2009 by T-Ruff Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mors 201 Report post Posted April 6, 2009 Totally clean hit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
