Phaneuf's hit on Kopitar last night

[Guest Shoreline]

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.

You're looking at a technicality but not looking at how any rational fan or even an official would see it. You can tell Phaneuf had NO intent on playing the puck, so the situation of icing or whatever gets thrown out the window. One player was going for the puck, the other was just trying to hit him. So when it's weighed as to whether it was a legal hit or not, guaranteed if Phaneuf had at least stuck his stick out to try and get the puck when he hit it, he would have been given either no penalty or a 2 minute penalty for the board opposed to 5 and done. He did not, he risked playing the body, his timing was well off, and he paid for it. Risk failed.

You're clearly advocating Kopitar to not even try to chase down an icing (or whatever it was, which isn't important) because of the possibility he gets hit before he can make a play on the puck. That's like suggesting a player shouldn't go for a rebound merely because he might get high-sticked or slashed, and why on Earth should people avoid making plays because they might have a penalty committed upon them?

[Carman 387]

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.

Fair enough dirty play all around by Phanuef. But you can't say Kopitar protected himself on that play, he worked for position to get in front of Phanuef and didn't expect to get hit?

[cjm502 165]

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.

I think you are missing the point here. How is Kopitar supposed to protect himself? Seriously, he cant just give up on the puck because he is next to Phaneuf. Kopitar did nothing wrong, Phaneuf is just a piece of s***.

[Carman 387]

I think you are missing the point here. How is Kopitar supposed to protect himself? Seriously, he cant just give up on the puck because he is next to Phaneuf. Kopitar did nothing wrong, Phaneuf is just a piece of s***.

Easy you don't initiate contact when you are a couple feet away from the boards, and you stay close to the boards.

No touch icing needs to be in the game so situations like this are avoided. Phanuef can't let Kopitar past him to gain possession of the puck, and Kopitar can't give up on the puck. Just not a good situation.

[Rivalred 630]

Any updates on Kopitar?

[Guest Shoreline]

Easy you don't initiate contact when you are a couple feet away from the boards, and you stay close to the boards.

No touch icing needs to be in the game so situations like this are avoided. Phanuef can't let Kopitar past him to gain possession of the puck, and Kopitar can't give up on the puck. Just not a good situation.

I definitely see the logic in that.

[cjm502 165]

Easy you don't initiate contact when you are a couple feet away from the boards, and you stay close to the boards.

No touch icing needs to be in the game so situations like this are avoided. Phanuef can't let Kopitar past him to gain possession of the puck, and Kopitar can't give up on the puck. Just not a good situation.

I agree this was just a bad all around situation. Although if you watch the video Kopitar skated straight to the puck from his zone, with Phaneuf coming right over to him initiating contact. If Kopitar wanted to stay away from Phaneuf and move towards the boards he would have easily been shut down. It was pretty much a hopeless situation.

[Carman 387]

This is what the initial contact looked like. Kopitar had his arm extended, and Phanuef had two hands on his stick.

[hooon 1,089]

Easy you don't initiate contact when you are a couple feet away from the boards, and you stay close to the boards.

No touch icing needs to be in the game so situations like this are avoided. Phanuef can't let Kopitar past him to gain possession of the puck, and Kopitar can't give up on the puck. Just not a good situation.

Lol at how your arguments mutate as people continuously prove you wrong. So now its come to 'Its Kopitar's fault that the league doesn't have no-touch-icing.'

Do you put ANY thought into your posts? Or do you just take the least sensible approach to any argument and stick with it no matter how absurd you sound?

[thedisappearer 291]

This is what the initial contact looked like. Kopitar had his arm extended, and Phanuef had two hands on his stick.

So the illegal hit is justified because Kopitar initiated contact?

[brett 1,029]

Wow, someone's angry he didn't make the olympic team.

my exact thoughts when i saw this haha

[Carman 387]

Lol at how your arguments mutate as people continuously prove you wrong. So now its come to 'Its Kopitar's fault that the league doesn't have no-touch-icing.'

Do you put ANY thought into your posts? Or do you just take the least sensible approach to any argument and stick with it no matter how absurd you sound?

Huh? All I'm saying is Kopitar could have went into the play differently. Phanuef still deserves whatever he got, but that situation unfortunately in a no win for either player and that's all I'm getting at.

[brett 1,029]

imo the elbow wasnt intentional. it just happened but yeah kopitar didnt even touch the puck dion was just going for the hit. pretty dirty

[hooon 1,089]

How is this situation so bad? This situation happens at least 5 times a game... The reason its bad is because of the ILLEGAL HIT. How are you not understanding this?

Back to your earlier point about Kopitar needing to recognize who it is that's challenging him.... Is Kopitar supposed to turn around and skate to the bench because Pheneuf is on the ice? Is he supposed to give up on the puck because a guy with a history of dirty hits is skating next to him? I'm glad that hockey players don't play with your reasoning. I'm sorry but your logic absolutely baffles me.

[Carman 387]

So the illegal hit is justified because Kopitar initiated contact?

I'm NOT saying it's justified at all. But much like the Canadadian junior hit a while back, sometimes players put themselves into situatoins where the other player has to make a "dirty" play because that was the position they were put in.

Phanuef can't go in the corner first as a defenseman, and Kopitar can't let up. But if Phanuef let's Kopitar gain possession of the puck, Phanuef does not play his position correctly. It's just another situation that should be avoided because of the no touch icing, but instead the NHL expects players to make split second decisions to protect themselves instead of the league protecting the players.

[hooon 1,089]

I'm NOT saying it's justified at all. But much like the Canadadian junior hit a while back, sometimes players put themselves into situatoins where the other player has to make a "dirty" play because that was the position they were put in.

Phanuef can't go in the corner first as a defenseman, and Kopitar can't let up. But if Phanuef let's Kopitar gain possession of the puck, Phanuef does not play his position correctly. It's just another situation that should be avoided because of the no touch icing, but instead the NHL expects players to make split second decisions to protect themselves instead of the league protecting the players.

Lol this is getting out of hand.

So Phaneuf "had" to make that hit? He HAD to drill Kopitar's head into the boards? He HAD to start slew-footing him which knocked him off his feet? He HAD to start the hit 3 feet off the boards instead of AT the boards?

[Carman 387]

Lol this is getting out of hand.

So Phaneuf "had" to make that hit? He HAD to drill Kopitar's head into the boards? He HAD to start slew-footing him which knocked him off his feet? He HAD to start the hit 3 feet off the boards instead of AT the boards?

So you expect Phanuef to let Kopitar touch the puck then try to poke check him? Both players were going hard into the boards, Kopitar ended up getting the worst of it. Phanuef deserved the penalty. End of story.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

So you expect Phanuef to let Kopitar touch the puck then try to poke check him? Both players were going hard into the boards, Kopitar ended up getting the worst of it. Phanuef deserved the penalty. End of story.

Technically, he is supposed to try and touch the puck to get the icing. If he cannot touch the puck before Kopitar, then he has to wait for Kopitar to touch it then hit him/get the puck away. If he hits him before contact, it's interference/boarding.

Play the puck boys.

[Carman 387]

Technically, he is supposed to try and touch the puck to get the icing. If he cannot touch the puck before Kopitar, then he has to wait for Kopitar to touch it then hit him/get the puck away. If he hits him before contact, it's interference/boarding.

Play the puck boys.

Actually Kopitar is a lot better skater then Phanuef. Phanuef knows this so he does his best to get in defensive position to contain Kopitar, they joust for position and Kopitar lost. Phanuef gets the penalty and deserves it.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Phaneuf is one of the biggest ***** visor wearing ******* in the entire league.

I can't wait till someone takes him out with a cheapshot.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

Phaneuf is one of the biggest ***** visor wearing ******* in the entire league.

I can't wait till someone takes him out with a cheapshot.

That's why the Cleary hit is in my YouTube favorites.

[j.hoop 64]

Phaneuf is one of the biggest ***** visor wearing ******* in the entire league.

I can't wait till someone takes him out with a cheapshot.

[b-random 0]

I think it was a dirty and illegal. Kopitar may have been reaching for the puck, but he didn't touch it, but...I guess you could make the same argument on Kronwall's hit on Havlat last year, but I think this is just a judgement call and the refs got it right. I don't think a suspension will be handed out because Kopitar was okay, that's how this league works, and I agree with it for the most part.