Phaneuf's hit on Kopitar last night

[Carman 387]

Kopitar has to be smarter on that play. Know who you are battling against.

[Red Crazy 201]

This is a great example of why Phaneuf is not on Team Canada. ( thank god ) He has no respect for other players and is a total asshat. I only hope that they throw the book at old Slopey seconds!

[hooon 1,089]

a player shouldn't be suspended if a shot he takes breaks a defenseman's nose. that's an extreme example, but if that same hit happens 10 times maybe eight of them kopitar keeps his balance and walks away totally fine.

Wow. What an ignorant comparison to make. How does shooting the puck have ANYTHING to do with this situation? Also, Kopitar didn't just 'lose his balance'... he lost his balance because he was being driven into the boards by Pheneuf's elbow and knee. The video is right there in this thread, I suggest you take a loot at it.

[edicius 3,269]

Phaneuf is a punk. Completely unnecessary hit, especially considering it was a race for an iced puck. Was the intent to injure there? As much as I don't like Phaneuf, I don't think so. But a suspension needs to be doled out to send a message.

Let's see if he gets the star treatment.

Maybe he'll get a "Damn it, Pronger!".

[Guest Shoreline]

He got a 5 min major and Game misconduct. Imo he should be suspended a while.

I like this call. I like Phaneuf, and I love the edge he plays with, which is why he's one of my favorite defensemen in the league, however, Phaneuf was not playing the puck. He was playing Kopitar. Kopitar was not even allowed to make a play on the puck because he got hit before he could ever attempt to. This is a penalty, and if the injury followed because of this, it's a 5 minute major for boarding. I don't think a suspension is warranted, as it was just bad timing on Phaneuf's part. I don't see any intent to injure.

[thedisappearer 291]

Kopitar has to be smarter on that play. Know who you are battling against.

Also, she wore that skirt so she deserved it.

[Carman 387]

Also, she wore that skirt so she deserved it.

Yeah don't expect to be hit when trying to touch a puck!

Play deserved a penalty no doubt, but players need to protect themselves as well.

[aw1340 0]

The classy Flames fans decided to boo Kopitar the rest of the game for not being injured.

[Carman 387]

The classy Flames fans decided to boo Kopitar the rest of the game for not being injured.

Probably had something to do with him laughing with his teammates once he got to the bench.

[Guest Shoreline]

Yeah don't expect to be hit when trying to touch a puck!

Play deserved a penalty no doubt, but players need to protect themselves as well.

Uh, how does Kopitar protect himself here? By not going after the puck? No. This hit or the result of it was not Kopitar's fault at all, and players shouldn't be expect to take a hit well before they even can make a play on the puck. By the NHL's rules, that's a penalty -- I can't remember when it hasn't been.

[thedisappearer 291]

Yeah don't expect to be hit when trying to touch a puck!

Play deserved a penalty no doubt, but players need to protect themselves as well.

So you agree the hit was illegal, but Kopitar is supposed to expect to receive illegal hits? Oh. OK.

[Carman 387]

Uh, how does Kopitar protect himself here? By not going after the puck? No. This hit or the result of it was not Kopitar's fault at all, and players shouldn't be expect to take a hit well before they even can make a play on the puck. By the NHL's rules, that's a penalty -- I can't remember when it hasn't been.

Not saying it wasn't a penalty. But you don't see Lidstrom barreling into the defensive zone to negate an icing. A lot of the time you'll see players go around the defenseman in that situation. Players need to be smart on the forecheck, you can get hit before you have the puck. Hell look at Holmstrom he almost never has possession of the puck, yet he stills gets clocked.

[Carman 387]

So you agree the hit was illegal, but Kopitar is supposed to expect to receive illegal hits? Oh. OK.

Hey if I'm going to invite Charles Manson over to my house, I'm not going to have knives out everywhere. Phanuef is a physical player, and Kopitar challenged him physically.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Probably had something to do with him laughing with his teammates once he got to the bench.

all I see is him grimacing there as he skates to the bench. It's fairly likely he got the wind knocked out of him.

[Datsyuk2Zetterberg 1]

this could've all been prevented if Yzerman put him on the team. Oh well.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Hey if I'm going to invite Charles Manson over to my house, I'm not going to have knives out everywhere. Phanuef is a physical player, and Kopitar challenged him physically.

huh? your arguments keep making less and less sense. Kopitar didnt challenge Phaneuf physically. It's not like he tried to check him or fight him. He was trying to make a play on the puck.

[Carman 387]

Sweet elbow, stay classy.

[Guest Shoreline]

Not saying it wasn't a penalty. But you don't see Lidstrom barreling into the defensive zone to negate an icing. A lot of the time you'll see players go around the defenseman in that situation. Players need to be smart on the forecheck, you can get hit before you have the puck. Hell look at Holmstrom he almost never has possession of the puck, yet he stills gets clocked.

Players are allowed to clear the front of their net, however, there is a bit of ambiguity (by how the officials call it, of course) as to the extent of what "clearing" entails, which is why Homer more often than not takes a beating. In this case, two people were going for the puck, Phaneuf could have easily smashed Kopitar upon getting the puck or even squeezed him off the puck. However, one could tell Phaneuf was eying up Kopitar the entire time, not making a play on the puck, so whatever possible leeway one might get for an early hit is pretty much vanished given the possible dangerous nature of that hit and the distance Kopitar had to the boards. One could plainly see Phaneuf's intent, replay or not, was to hit Kopitar. There was no evident intent to injure, but Phaneuf screwed up, and paid the price. It happens. There's nothing heinous about this though. It's just an error on Phaneuf's part, and there's really nothing Kopitar could, or should, do differently.

[thedisappearer 291]

Hey if I'm going to invite Charles Manson over to my house, I'm not going to have knives out everywhere. Phanuef is a physical player, and Kopitar challenged him physically.

So your analogy is Phanuef = Manson, but it's Kopitar's fault? Are you trolling, or retarded?

*ETA* Sharon Tate got what she deserved.

Edited December 31, 2009 by thedisappearer

[Carman 387]

huh? your arguments keep making less and less sense. Kopitar didnt challenge Phaneuf physically. It's not like he tried to check him or fight him. He was trying to make a play on the puck.

Exactly, making a play on the puck with a physical defenseman over you you have to expect physical contact. Same when the puck comes around the corner to the blue line, the forward has to expect Kronwall is going to be there to hit them. Kopitar beat Phanuef to the puck, Phanuef instead of being beat and have on the league's best forwards go right around him, takes his space away and Kopitar didn't protect himself. Interference, that's all.

[thedisappearer 291]

Sweet elbow, stay classy.

He deserved, putting his face where he *knew* elbows could be.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Exactly, making a play on the puck with a physical defenseman over you you have to expect physical contact. Same when the puck comes around the corner to the blue line, the forward has to expect Kronwall is going to be there to hit them. Kopitar beat Phanuef to the puck, Phanuef instead of being beat and have on the league's best forwards go right around him, takes his space away and Kopitar didn't protect himself. Interference, that's all.

But you already admitted it was an illegal play. So anytime Phaneuf is out there, Kopitar should expect an illegal hit? You can't really play the game that way.

Technically it's interference because Phaneuf kept him from getting to the puck. When it involves two players cruising at high speed and you ignore the puck to crush a guy into the boards, you're gonna get more than two minutes. And he did a wee bit more than "take his space away." He could've done that by putting his body between Kopitar and the puck, which he had the angle to do.

Hits like that could happen at least once a game if there were more idiots out there like Phaneuf. Instead most players realize that the guy chasing the puck is in a vulnerable position and it isnt a hockey play. So they go after the puck or make sure they're between the player and the puck.

It's pretty easy to hit a guy when he doesn't expect it because it's illegal and not a routine hockey play.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

He deserved, putting his face where he *knew* elbows could be.

HA!!!

[Carman 387]

Look all I'm saying is Phanuef deserves a penalty, I'm not even disagreeing with the misconduct. I just believe that Kopitar should have thought about trying to touch an icing giving Phanuef a oppurtunity at taking the body. Kopitar's stick just barely missed the puck, if it would have touched then it would have been a clean hit. But it didn't, therefore Phanuef gets the gate. It's hockey, but sometimes players need to pick their battles and not give noted hitters a chance to hit.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Look all I'm saying is Phanuef deserves a penalty, I'm not even disagreeing with the misconduct. I just believe that Kopitar should have thought about trying to touch an icing giving Phanuef a oppurtunity at taking the body. Kopitar's stick just barely missed the puck, if it would have touched then it would have been a clean hit. But it didn't, therefore Phanuef gets the gate. It's hockey, but sometimes players need to pick their battles and not give noted hitters a chance to hit.

Maybe it technically wouldn't have also been interference, but it still wouldn't have been a clean hit. He got 5 minutes for boarding, not 2 for interference.