Cole suspended three games

[cprice12 117]

As I mentioned, I'm not overly upset with the suspension as it was a hit to the head. And if Abdelkader did slow down at the last moment, like Cole said, it's still a dangerous play.

But again, if Abdelkader didn't see Cole, then what was he doing with the puck? It looked to me like he slid the puck past the defense when he picked up Cole at the last moment, and was going to go get it after slipping past Cole...or he was just getting rid of the puck before getting hit. Obviously I'm reading into it some, but from playing hockey for 20 years, that's how I saw that play developing. If Abdelkader never saw Cole, he wouldn't have given up the puck like he did. From experience, I say Abdelkader saw Cole at the last moment and had enough time to react with the puck...and logic would also tell you that Abdelkader may have changed speeds as well.

Anyway, like I said, what I'm more annoyed with is the lack of a call on Datsyuk. You guys can spin that hit however you like, but Datsyuk lunged up and into Jackman's face on the hit. That's how I saw it. It should have at least been reviewed. If Shanny reviews it and deems it a legal hit, then ok...but at least review it as it was a hit to the head.

And I'm not sure why anyone is surprised or upset that Jackman was upset...he was hit in the face and wanted a call, and was pissed when he didn't get one. Not shocking there at all.

And as far as the crosschecks that Jackman gave Datsyuk, if you guys had read what I said earlier in the thread, or in the GDT...forgot which one...I said I have no idea why Jackman wasn't penalized for that..he should have been...bad no call. But that's not really the issue as what he did wasn't suspension worthy anyway. But if you want to get into "should have been penalties that aren't suspension worthy", we can go back to when Howard wrongly jumped on Perron a couple games back and gave him a shot or two to the face with no penalty at all.

We can debate this all day...maybe I'll just agree to disagree with you guys.

[Kira 451]

You know, that's the most diplomatic approach to take on this. Wise move.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

Maybe Shanny is still a little annoyed the Blues traded him.

[toby91_ca 620]

Anyway, like I said, what I'm more annoyed with is the lack of a call on Datsyuk. You guys can spin that hit however you like, but Datsyuk lunged up and into Jackman's face on the hit. That's how I saw it. It should have at least been reviewed. If Shanny reviews it and deems it a legal hit, then ok...but at least review it as it was a hit to the head.

Here's the thing about the Datsyuk hit....I don't think it's clear cut (regardless of what others say) what the principal point of contact was (head or body), but let's say it was the head for a minute. Just because you conclude it was an illegal hit to the head, it doesn't mean and automatic suspension. There is a minor penalty for elbowing when you elbow someone in the head, it's not always a suspension....you have to consider the force behind it and potential to cause injury. If I was reffing and I determined that Datsyuk through a head shot there, I would have given him 2 minutes. It wasn't overly violent or forceful, there was no way that would hurt anyone (including Lindros).

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

As I mentioned, I'm not overly upset with the suspension as it was a hit to the head. And if Abdelkader did slow down at the last moment, like Cole said, it's still a dangerous play.

But again, if Abdelkader didn't see Cole, then what was he doing with the puck? It looked to me like he slid the puck past the defense when he picked up Cole at the last moment, and was going to go get it after slipping past Cole...or he was just getting rid of the puck before getting hit. Obviously I'm reading into it some, but from playing hockey for 20 years, that's how I saw that play developing. If Abdelkader never saw Cole, he wouldn't have given up the puck like he did. From experience, I say Abdelkader saw Cole at the last moment and had enough time to react with the puck...and logic would also tell you that Abdelkader may have changed speeds as well.

Anyway, like I said, what I'm more annoyed with is the lack of a call on Datsyuk. You guys can spin that hit however you like, but Datsyuk lunged up and into Jackman's face on the hit. That's how I saw it. It should have at least been reviewed. If Shanny reviews it and deems it a legal hit, then ok...but at least review it as it was a hit to the head.

And I'm not sure why anyone is surprised or upset that Jackman was upset...he was hit in the face and wanted a call, and was pissed when he didn't get one. Not shocking there at all.

And as far as the crosschecks that Jackman gave Datsyuk, if you guys had read what I said earlier in the thread, or in the GDT...forgot which one...I said I have no idea why Jackman wasn't penalized for that..he should have been...bad no call. But that's not really the issue as what he did wasn't suspension worthy anyway. But if you want to get into "should have been penalties that aren't suspension worthy", we can go back to when Howard wrongly jumped on Perron a couple games back and gave him a shot or two to the face with no penalty at all.

We can debate this all day...maybe I'll just agree to disagree with you guys.

No what i think is the problem is you still don't understand the whole "principle point of contact" dats hit started chest the moved up to head. The head was not targeted first. watch the video that haroldsnepsts posted all the way through.

So what you are saying abby had enough time to react ...abby left his head there just so he could get hit in it? players do that? If you watch the video his speed never changed and he never moved. not even his head. Im not sure of any player or person in that matter that if seeing someone coming at them with that speed if they seen it coming wouldn't of had some sort of movement....abby had none...so logic would suggest he didn't see it in time to react.

[cprice12 117]

Hitchcock not happy with Cole suspension...

BND.com

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said he is through watching Shanahan videos."I have on purpose by design not looked at the Shanny video, so I'm not watching any of it," Hitchcock said Monday. "For me, the call was made and that's their call, we're moving on. But I am not watching any more of those videos That's it, done, I'm tired of it."

Was Hitchcock expecting a suspension?

"I'm still confused," he said. "There's hits to the head and then there's other hits to the head. Some get called and some don't, so I'm confused."...

No what i think is the problem is you still don't understand the whole "principle point of contact" dats hit started chest the moved up to head. The head was not targeted first. watch the video that haroldsnepsts posted all the way through.

So what you are saying abby had enough time to react ...abby left his head there just so he could get hit in it? players do that? If you watch the video his speed never changed and he never moved. not even his head. Im not sure of any player or person in that matter that if seeing someone coming at them with that speed if they seen it coming wouldn't of had some sort of movement....abby had none...so logic would suggest he didn't see it in time to react.

Like I said...agree to disagree.

Abdelkader saw it coming at the last moment, hence what he did with the puck. Not sure what else I can say without just repeating myself...so again, agree to disagree.

[LeftWinger 4,961]

Like I said...agree to disagree.

Abdelkader saw it coming at the last moment, hence what he did with the puck. Not sure what else I can say without just repeating myself...so again, agree to disagree.

You never cease to amaze me with your "view" on hits and players. Can maybe for once you can just get over the fact that your team loses or your player commits something dirty without trying to drag a Wings player through the coals? If you watch the two videos, Abdelkader has nowhere to go and even if he saw a flash of blue coming towards him, it was at the last nanosecond and he maybe just tensed up. You cannot tell any of us that this was not a suspension worthy, dirty play. Not even mentioning that Abby already had a man on him so Cole had no business even trying to check him. Even that play along the boards gets called 99% of the time if something like that happens even without a hit to the head.

Datsyuk's hit sure did end up near the head, but if Jackass wouldn't have pulled a Cindy Lee Crysby and flopped his head back like he was shot with a canon, maybe the refs would've taken a serious look at the play. Jackass is known for embellishment and cheap shots of his own and got no sympathy. PLUS it was not a blindside hit, Jackass knew he was coming and he should've maybe used Pronger Physics and hit Datsyuk instead. Even though, according to you, it still would've have been Yzerman's err...I mean Datyuks fault.

What else is funny, is all of the crosschecks and runs that Backes does that don't get called, I don't see you talking about how those are penalty's and should be called. Of course you aren't. Hitchcock is tired of Shanny's videos? He doesn't want to watch it because he has seen the hit and knows it was suspension worthy so why even listen to an explanation? Hitchcock isn't gonna come out and say, "ya I agree it deserves a suspension and Cole is an idiot." I am sure he called Cole a few choice words in private. If he disagreed with the call or the suspension, then he would've said something to that effect, not just he is tired of watching the video.

So what's next on your agenda? You come in here trash talking Jimmy and touting Elliot as the best goalie to ever wear the musical note only to see him give up 6 goals in 2 games and lose to Goalie A both times. You then come in and say if Cole's hit is illegal then so is Datsyuk's even though they are entirely two different types of plays with two different intentions and results. There is no way to even compare the two, unless you are saying Abdelkader dove? With you I wouldn't doubt it. If Cole would've injured his shoulder on the play, I am sure you would have spun up another story on how Abdelkader cheapshotted Cole with his head...

...I hope you never go away cprice because you are hilarious to read!

Edited January 3, 2012 by LeftWinger

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Abdelkader's "movement" doesn't make a difference because Cole moved his arm at the last second to compensate for the fact he was going to miss him. End of story.

[ami 273]

<...> I'm more annoyed with is the lack of a call on Datsyuk.

And I am annoyed with no call on multiple crosby-style crosscheck that your beloved Jackass put on Datsyuk.

Should zebras call this, there would be no this discussion.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

I was glad to see the refs bury the whistles. They called nothing on Jackman's crosschecks. Fine with me, as long as they didn't call Dats high hit. Nothing wrong with letting 'em play. We won both games, so I don't see what the s***storm is about.

[cprice12 117]

I guess the agree to disagree thing went out the window.

You never cease to amaze me with your "view" on hits and players. Can maybe for once you can just get over the fact that your team loses or your player commits something dirty without trying to drag a Wings player through the coals?

What Cole did wasn't dirty, it was a bang-bang play. He's not a dirty player...or at least he hasn't shown to be one in his hockey career yet, but hey, maybe you're right...maybe he just started being a "dirty player" the moment he hit Abdelkader. It's possible.

If you watch the two videos, Abdelkader has nowhere to go and even if he saw a flash of blue coming towards him, it was at the last nanosecond and he maybe just tensed up. You cannot tell any of us that this was not a suspension worthy, dirty play.

How many times do I have to say I was fine with Cole being suspended? I'm more annoyed with:

1) The length of the suspension and...

2) The inconsistencies with Shanahan's suspensions that he is handing out.

Not even mentioning that Abby already had a man on him so Cole had no business even trying to check him.

This wasn't a fight and a 3rd man in. You can hit a guy who "has a guy on him" already, skating through the neutral zone.

Even that play along the boards gets called 99% of the time if something like that happens even without a hit to the head.

No, it doesn't...unless of course, Abdelkader is hit. Seems like when he gets hit, the player who does the hitting gets a suspension for an illegal hit to the head. That's two this year. Maybe he needs to play with his head up a little more. Just a thought.

Datsyuk's hit sure did end up near the head

Not "near the head". Try..."in the face".

but if Jackass

I see you have taken the neutral, unbiased, mature stance to try to make your point. Bravo.

wouldn't have pulled a Cindy Lee Crysby and flopped his head back like he was shot with a canon, maybe the refs would've taken a serious look at the play. Jackass is known for embellishment and cheap shots of his own and got no sympathy.

He flopped his head back because he was hit in the face with an elbow/shoulder.

It's one thing to say the head wasn't the principal point of contact, that's a debate I can have, but it's another to say Jackman didn't get hit in the head and was faking contact. That's just ridiculous.

I think you just showed your cards there...Jackman isn't known for diving. I can't recall a play where he has dove or badly embellished a play to get a call. I'm not saying he has never done it, but he isn't known for it and he doesn't make a habit of it. But hey, you probably see the Blues play, what, 8 times a year? ... I see them play 82...so maybe you know more about Jackman's tendencies on the ice than I do. Very, very doubtful...but there is a chance I guess.

Cheap shots are a different story...Jackman will dish out cheap shots, but he's not a diver.

PLUS it was not a blindside hit, Jackass knew he was coming

Shanahan has taken the word "blindside" out of the rules for illegal hits. Just so you know. So, legally, I don't think you can use that word anymore when talking hockey.

...continuted on next post due to quoting limit...

Edited January 3, 2012 by cprice12

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Are you still trying to compare a hit where Datsyuk leads high but still gets his body and doesn't cause anything but a hissy fit from Jackam to a hit where Cole sticks his shoulder out at Abdelkader's head and clips him, causing him to go to the quiet room due to the contact?

Not. Comparable.

[cprice12 117]

and he should've maybe used Pronger Physics and hit Datsyuk instead. Even though, according to you, it still would've have been Yzerman's err...I mean Datyuks fault.

That didn't make any sense...but then again, neither does most of your post.

What else is funny, is all of the crosschecks and runs that Backes does that don't get called, I don't see you talking about how those are penalty's and should be called. Of course you aren't. Hitchcock is tired of Shanny's videos? He doesn't want to watch it because he has seen the hit and knows it was suspension worthy so why even listen to an explanation? Hitchcock isn't gonna come out and say, "ya I agree it deserves a suspension and Cole is an idiot." I am sure he called Cole a few choice words in private. If he disagreed with the call or the suspension, then he would've said something to that effect, not just he is tired of watching the video.

I guess you missed it where I said the crosschecks by Jackman on Datsyuk should have been called and how it was a bad no-call? Yeah...thought so.

And on Hitchcock...

So, you are assuming something completely different than what Hitchcock is implying with that comment?

Ok.

The Blues writers and members of the press have stated the Blues are not at all happy with the inconsistencies of the suspensions and length of suspensions being handed out to the Blues when compared against other suspensions this year across the league... and part of that is wondering why Datsyuk's hit wasn't looked at.

This isn't just me. This is coming from folks who have a lot more contacts in the Blues organization than I do.

So what's next on your agenda? You come in here trash talking Jimmy and touting Elliot as the best goalie to ever wear the musical note only to see him give up 6 goals in 2 games and lose to Goalie A both times.

1) I NEVER trash talked Howard this year. All I said was all of his numbers at the time, except wins, were not as good as Elliot's and in some categories, not as good as a few other goalies. I was just posting stats.

2) I said Elliot has played better so far than any Blues goalie I have ever seen...am I wrong on that too? Or do you have a better goalie that I HAVE SEEN PLAY for St. Louis? Elliot by far had the best GAA and Save % in the league for crying out loud. I also said it wasn't even halfway through the season yet and things could change...but so far, Elliot should be a Vezina candidate. The only thing holding him back is games played. If you guys had a capable backup, Howard would have a few less starts as well...granted, he wouldn't be splitting time like Elliot, but still.

You then come in and say if Cole's hit is illegal then so is Datsyuk's even though they are entirely two different types of plays with two different intentions and results. There is no way to even compare the two, unless you are saying Abdelkader dove? With you I wouldn't doubt it. If Cole would've injured his shoulder on the play, I am sure you would have spun up another story on how Abdelkader cheapshotted Cole with his head...

How are you qualified to say what Cole & Datsyuk's intentions were when they dished out their hits? Did you talk to both of them after the game? I wasn't aware you had press credentials.

Different results? Both players are/were fine after the hit. No injuries. How were the results different?

Again, I'm not the only one questioning the consistency/inconsistency here.

You act like this is some crazy thought by one fan, when it's a very legitimate question being asked by a lot of folks...but apparently not in Detroit.

...I hope you never go away cprice because you are hilarious to read!

I've been here and posting occasionally off and on since 2002...a year before you got here.

I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

For your reading pleasure...

Others who aren't happy with or are questioning the NHL's inconsistencies on suspensions surrounding the Blues:

Belleville News-Democrat:

http://www.bnd.com/2012/01/03/2000605/blues-not-fond-of-coles-suspension.html

St. Louis Post Dispatch:

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/professional/cole-s-suspension-frustrates-blues/article_14fe64f4-49cd-5869-93e9-4f61c86c4c4c.html

Lets Go Blues:

http://www.letsgoblues.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29401&sid=3674818e08bfc2e7f84d217fa9d70505

Frozen Notes:

http://frozennotes.com/2012/01/01/ian-cole-suspended-three-games-consistency-eludes-nhl/

The Blue Note Zone:

http://bluenotezone.com/2012/01/02/blues-news-nhl-suspends-cole-for-3-games-warning-rant-inside/

St. Louis Game Time:

http://www.stlouisgametime.com/2012/1/1/2675549/ian-cole-has-been-suspended-three-games-for-his-hit-on-justin#comments

Edited January 3, 2012 by cprice12

[esteef 2,679]

^ You mean the St Louis fans and media disagrees with the suspension? Shocker!

esteef

[cprice12 117]

Are you still trying to compare a hit where Datsyuk leads high but still gets his body and doesn't cause anything but a hissy fit from Jackam to a hit where Cole sticks his shoulder out at Abdelkader's head and clips him, causing him to go to the quiet room due to the contact?

Not. Comparable.

Many, many, many people disagree with you. It's kind of been the talk amongst Blues nation for a couple days now.

They are very comparable in that they were both hits to the head. One got a suspension, the other got nothing. One was a lesser known younger player, the other is a superstar. Blues fans have reason to question the inconsistencies.

^ You mean the St Louis fans and media disagrees with the suspension? Shocker!

esteef

And Red Wings fans agree completely with the suspension to Cole and the no-call on Datsyuk? Shocker!

Which is why I mentioned agreeing to disagree earlier.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Many, many, many people disagree with you. It's kind of been the talk amongst Blues nation for a couple days now.

They are very comparable in that they were both hits to the head. One got a suspension, the other got nothing. One was a lesser known younger player, the other is a superstar. Blues fans have reason to question the inconsistencies.

On one the head was the principal point of contact with no body contact at all.

The other was a check to the body that caught the head with a shoulder. As I said in my earlier post, the NHL explicitly stated that a shoulder hit to the head can be legal as long as it isn't the principal point of contact.

If you ignore the teams involved and just look at the hits, they're not similar at all.

As Shanny says in the video "What no player should expect any longer is his head will be picked and be the principal point of contact, whether intentionally, or recklessly." You can try to say it's because it was a star player on the Jackman hit, but you're completely ignoring the biggest difference in the hits, which is PRINCIPAL POINT OF CONTACT.

Edited January 3, 2012 by haroldsnepsts

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

mean ol dats with his elbow to the head....oh wait...

Edited January 3, 2012 by hillbillywingsfan

[LeftWinger 4,961]

Many, many, many people disagree with you. It's kind of been the talk amongst Blues nation for a couple days now.

They are very comparable in that they were both hits to the head. One got a suspension, the other got nothing. One was a lesser known younger player, the other is a superstar. Blues fans have reason to question the inconsistencies.

And Red Wings fans agree completely with the suspension to Cole and the no-call on Datsyuk? Shocker!

Which is why I mentioned agreeing to disagree earlier.

I like this guy, he is funny guy... Man you can spin a story better than Ann Coulter at a Presidential Debate. You are just a bitter fan who is dying to get something on the Big Bad Bullies from Detroit. Dude, I am sorry the Blues have been Detroit's whipping boys everytime they have met in the playoffs since Scott Steven's played there, but don't take it out on us. You are going to get no sympathy for your team. And Jackman (you know he is an ass so I will leave that out) did throw his head back like he was shot from the grassy knoll.

Oh, and since you've been a blues fan for so long you should remember a guy named Roman Turek, who just happened to have a year (stat-wise) that pretty much was the best ever by a blue's goalie. But maybe you never watched him play, I dunno. And we have commented enough on Pronger, if you still play the naive role when it comes to him, that's not my fault. Just keep spewing garbage. When you have something to brag about come back because we love reading your rhetoric.

[LeftWinger 4,961]

Hey cprice, take a look at the third picture up top there, notice Cole is already in front of Abby, getting ready to decapitate him. You say Abby saw him coming and threw the puck around him as to try to avoid the hit and get the puck again...well what is that right in front of his stick? And where is Cole and his dagger of an elbow? This is the only time Abby saw Cole coming, when it was too late. Like I said, he saw a flash of blue and tensed up, that was the movement you and every other misinformed blues fan saw.

Concerning your links of people upset about the suspension and not a review on Datsyuk, find me ONE, ONE story outside of St. Louis or Detroit talking about how since Cole was suspended, Datsyuk should have been reviewed...ONE. Just admit that you and the blues fans are crybabies and are still bitter over Detroit pouncing your team everytime they play in the playoffs. BTW, I bet in 1997, every single one of those websites you linked (if they were in existence) all pegged Yzerman for deliberately hitting Pronger dirty and injuring him as well. We all know your guy's view on that. We can agree to agree.

edit: and BTW, also in that third pic, you can see the other blues player already stick checking Abby and trying to separate him from the puck, hence he was already being checked and Cole had no business stepping up on them. And yes, that type of play does get called in the corners. Two guys fighting for the puck and then another player comes up, ignoring the puck and just interferes with the opposing player by body checking him to the ice, its an illegal play and gets penalized a lot. This was a penalty even without the jagged elbow...

Edited January 3, 2012 by LeftWinger

[cprice12 117]

I like this guy, he is funny guy... Man you can spin a story better than Ann Coulter at a Presidential Debate. You are just a bitter fan who is dying to get something on the Big Bad Bullies from Detroit. Dude, I am sorry the Blues have been Detroit's whipping boys everytime they have met in the playoffs since Scott Steven's played there, but don't take it out on us. You are going to get no sympathy for your team. And Jackman (you know he is an ass so I will leave that out) did throw his head back like he was shot from the grassy knoll.

Oh, and since you've been a blues fan for so long you should remember a guy named Roman Turek, who just happened to have a year (stat-wise) that pretty much was the best ever by a blue's goalie. But maybe you never watched him play, I dunno. And we have commented enough on Pronger, if you still play the naive role when it comes to him, that's not my fault. Just keep spewing garbage. When you have something to brag about come back because we love reading your rhetoric.

I'm not spinning anything...just probably over analyzing the two plays.

I'm not bitter. I just hate the Wings like I hate the Hawks. It's a sports rivalry thing. I don't care to be jealous of something I hate.

The difference in Turek and Elliot is that, while Turek put up some very good numbers in one season as a Blue, he never looked THAT solid. His success was in large part due to the team in front of him. Brent Johnson also put up great numbers that year as the backup.

Elliot looks very, very good and it has little to do with the team in front of him.

It's easy to tell the difference when you watch every Blues game, every year. Which I have, and no offense, but you have not.

Turek was a basket case and had weight issues.

Now, I'm not saying Elliot won't suffer a slump or revert to bad habits, but based on his play so far, to put it simply, he just looks really, really good. Tracking the puck extremely well, few rebounds and stopping everything he should along with 99% of the ones he shouldn't.

He looked really good in the games vs. Detroit, but Detroit is a good team and they scored a few on him in both games. I don't recall any of the goals being goals "he should have had". Detroit had some nice goals.

He's going to have some bad games...every goalie does. I'm really curious and hopeful he can keep it up in the 2nd half...because I am not confident at all in Halak.

[LeftWinger 4,961]

I'm not spinning anything...just probably over analyzing the two plays.

I'm not bitter. I just hate the Wings like I hate the Hawks. It's a sports rivalry thing. I don't care to be jealous of something I hate.

The difference in Turek and Elliot is that, while Turek put up some very good numbers in one season as a Blue, he never looked THAT solid. His success was in large part due to the team in front of him. Brent Johnson also put up great numbers that year as the backup.

Elliot looks very, very good and it has little to do with the team in front of him.

It's easy to tell the difference when you watch every Blues game, every year. Which I have, and no offense, but you have not.

Turek was a basket case and had weight issues.

Now, I'm not saying Elliot won't suffer a slump or revert to bad habits, but based on his play so far, to put it simply, he just looks really, really good. Tracking the puck extremely well, few rebounds and stopping everything he should along with 99% of the ones he shouldn't.

He looked really good in the games vs. Detroit, but Detroit is a good team and they scored a few on him in both games. I don't recall any of the goals being goals "he should have had". Detroit had some nice goals.

He's going to have some bad games...every goalie does. I'm really curious and hopeful he can keep it up in the 2nd half...because I am not confident at all in Halak.

...and trust us. We argue with you not because we don't like "you" only because it is fun to bicker! Who wants to come to a forum and just read a bunch of rose-colored homer love? Not me! Good on ya!

and we hate the blues too! Not as much as the Hawks, but we do! You are welcome for Adam Oates BTW, did you have to give us Federko? Sheesh!

Edited January 3, 2012 by LeftWinger

[wingfan13 44]

I'm not spinning anything...just probably over analyzing the two plays.

I'm not bitter. I just hate the Wings like I hate the Hawks. It's a sports rivalry thing. I don't care to be jealous of something I hate.

The difference in Turek and Elliot is that, while Turek put up some very good numbers in one season as a Blue, he never looked THAT solid. His success was in large part due to the team in front of him. Brent Johnson also put up great numbers that year as the backup.

Elliot looks very, very good and it has little to do with the team in front of him.

It's easy to tell the difference when you watch every Blues game, every year. Which I have, and no offense, but you have not.

Turek was a basket case and had weight issues.

Now, I'm not saying Elliot won't suffer a slump or revert to bad habits, but based on his play so far, to put it simply, he just looks really, really good. Tracking the puck extremely well, few rebounds and stopping everything he should along with 99% of the ones he shouldn't.

He looked really good in the games vs. Detroit, but Detroit is a good team and they scored a few on him in both games. I don't recall any of the goals being goals "he should have had". Detroit had some nice goals.

He's going to have some bad games...every goalie does. I'm really curious and hopeful he can keep it up in the 2nd half...because I am not confident at all in Halak.

Be honest now. You cant possibly look a the pictures above and think that Datsyuk deserved a penalty and suspension. Take a look at the right arm of Datsyuk. Notice where the white line on the sleeve of the jersey is in relation to the elbow. Now take a look at the left arm and notice where the white line is. He hit Jackman with a clean hit and Jackman was pissed because he got caught and threw his little tantrum.

[esteef 2,679]

And Red Wings fans agree completely with the suspension to Cole and the no-call on Datsyuk? Shocker!

Which is why I mentioned agreeing to disagree earlier.

But you're not agreeing to disagree with your ridiculously long winded huffing and puffing. Your boy tried to clean Abby's clock, got caught and tried to smooth talk his way out of it. Shanny didn't buy it and neither does anyone outside of the losing team's city.

esteef

[cprice12 117]

Hey cprice, take a look at the third picture up top there, notice Cole is already in front of Abby, getting ready to decapitate him. You say Abby saw him coming and threw the puck around him as to try to avoid the hit and get the puck again...well what is that right in front of his stick? And where is Cole and his dagger of an elbow? This is the only time Abby saw Cole coming, when it was too late. Like I said, he saw a flash of blue and tensed up, that was the movement you and every other misinformed blues fan saw.

That image shows the puck being shot in by Abdelkader.

My question to you is, why is he shooting the puck into the zone?

If he never saw Cole, he had a clear lane to the net...so why slide it into the zone?

He did so to either get rid of the puck before the hit to dump it in, meaning he saw Cole coming at the last moment, or he was going to try to side step Cole but ended up not having enough time.

That's my opinion on how the play looked like it was developing to me.

And again...I'm not saying Cole shouldn't have been suspended...I think he could have gotten a fine or a suspension, but not more than a game or two. Three seems excessive based on other suspensions that Shanahan has dished out.

The one website I linked to listed a few examples of hits that didn't even get a suspension that looked worse than the hit on Abdelkader.

Concerning your links of people upset about the suspension and not a review on Datsyuk, find me ONE, ONE story outside of St. Louis or Detroit talking about how since Cole was suspended, Datsyuk should have been reviewed...ONE.

Only took me a minute.

...ok, here you go... written by George Malik (an admitted biased Red Wings fan in his bio) for KuklasKorner.com... the uber biased Red Wing slanted site itself:

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/tmr/comments/blues_armstrong_not_keen_on_ian_coles_suspension_but_accepts_nhls_emphasis_/

That said, a problem that still seems to exist for the NHL is a lack of consistency in terms of dealing with such hits. For instance, Pavel Datsyuk appeared to get away entirely with a hit to Barret Jackman’s head during the same game. Datsyuk is one the elite players in the league.

So there you go. Funny that that's pretty much what I have been saying. Thoughts?

edit: and BTW, also in that third pic, you can see the other blues player already stick checking Abby and trying to separate him from the puck, hence he was already being checked and Cole had no business stepping up on them. And yes, that type of play does get called in the corners. Two guys fighting for the puck and then another player comes up, ignoring the puck and just interferes with the opposing player by body checking him to the ice, its an illegal play and gets penalized a lot. This was a penalty even without the jagged elbow...

That's Stewart, who was behind Abdelkader. He didn't have him tied up, exposing him/making him vulnerable to possible injury from another check. There is no penalty there for Cole coming over to check Abdelkader, had the check been a full body check. In that situation, Cole would never be called for...whatever you want to call it...roughing or whatever because Stewart was a stride behind Abdelkader with his stick on Abdelkader's shins. Not gonna happen.

[cprice12 117]

Be honest now. You cant possibly look a the pictures above and think that Datsyuk deserved a penalty and suspension. Take a look at the right arm of Datsyuk. Notice where the white line on the sleeve of the jersey is in relation to the elbow. Now take a look at the left arm and notice where the white line is. He hit Jackman with a clean hit and Jackman was pissed because he got caught and threw his little tantrum.

You would be correct if an elbow were in question...but it didn't look like an elbow to me...it's a shoulder to the face...which would be a fine or suspension for most players on most teams. And that picture shows the contact. But I guess because Pierre McGuire said the hit was clean after seeing it once on a replay at ice level, that's all she wrote.

And hey, psst...get this...between you and me, there are some people in this very forum (won't name names) that honestly feel that Jackman wasn't hit in the face at all (NO, I WON'T GET OUT OF TOWN!!) and actually threw his head back ACTING like he was hit (shhh, let me finish), in other words, gasp...faking it (I know, I can't believe it either...but I read it myself, a couple times actually)...even though the picture clearly shows shoulder on face.