Shawn Thornton attacks Orpik (leaves game on stretcher)

[TheDetroitRedWings 286]

I hate the Pens as much as the next Wings fan, but what Thornton did was uncalled for and def not part of the hockey 'code.' Seems almost certain that he will be suspended. Hopefully Orpik is okay.

Edited December 8, 2013 by TheDetroitRedWings

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

As was the knee to Marchand's head. Both actions were pretty gutless.

[TheDetroitRedWings 286]

As was the knee to Marchand's head. Both actions were pretty gutless.

Didn't see that yet. Just happened to catch this part of the incident only.

[BottleOfSmoke 5,965]

This is the kind of s*** they need to get out of the game. Absolutely no place for it.

Edit: @penguins: ORPIK UPDATE: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where he is alert and conscious.

Edited December 8, 2013 by BottleOfSmoke

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

http://youtu.be/GuVq-TZ7AJM

Knee to the head is at the 2:00 min mark.

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

Coach's Corner shows what led up to the attack.

http://youtu.be/wVeb51AMmD8?t=7s

Edited December 8, 2013 by Son of a Wing

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

I've seen worse muggings before in hockey. The result is what made it look so bad. I don't think Thornton was trying to end Orpik's career or else he would have dropped his gloves and decked him with a real swinging punch.

I have no problem with him being suspended, though. It was a cheap move.

Orpik is a D-bag, though. There's a lot of players in the league that would like to do that to him.

[kipwinger 8,493]

This makes me want to puke. We should roll this into the "retaliation" thread just so everybody can get a good look at what the "code" has become. Hit a guy clean, and some mongoloid comes along and cripples you just for the sake of being a tough guy. Ugh, how can people even pretend that there's some sort of honor in NHL fighting these days?

[Guest DeGraa55]

Orpik should've fought him the first time two cheap shots on bruins players led to it...Thornton will get a suspension but I don't blame him.

This makes me want to puke. We should roll this into the "retaliation" thread just so everybody can get a good look at what the "code" has become. Hit a guy clean, and some mongoloid comes along and cripples you just for the sake of being a tough guy. Ugh, how can people even pretend that there's some sort of honor in NHL fighting these days?

Kneeing a guy in the head is clean? LOL.

[kipwinger 8,493]

Orpik should've fought him the first time two cheap shots on bruins players led to it...Thornton will get a suspension but I don't blame him.

Why should Orpik have to fight for a clean hit? He didn't cheap shot anyone.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

This makes me want to puke. We should roll this into the "retaliation" thread just so everybody can get a good look at what the "code" has become. Hit a guy clean, and some mongoloid comes along and cripples you just for the sake of being a tough guy. Ugh, how can people even pretend that there's some sort of honor in NHL fighting these days?

There is no "code"

I've seen muggings from he 70's and 80's that make this incident look like kissing. Thornton went over the line, but that's always happened in different eras as well. You can't take that out of hockey even if you neuter players like Thornton. Hockey players in bad moods sometimes go over the line.

Orpik didn't help himself any by being Brooks Orpik, one of the most disliked defenders in the league.

[joesuffP 1,746]

It didn't look like he hit him that bad tbh. The knee was way worse and definitely intent to injure he should get 10 games

[dirtydangles 1,328]

Why should Orpik have to fight for a clean hit? He didn't cheap shot anyone.

Maybe you should have a look at the knee to the head he did. The eriksson hit was clean though - he was mauled for a different reason

EDIT maybe it wasn't orpik that kneed him

Edited December 8, 2013 by dirtydangles

[kipwinger 8,493]

There is no "code"

I've seen muggings from he 70's and 80's that make this incident look like kissing. Thornton went over the line, but that's always happened in different eras as well. You can't take that out of hockey even if you neuter players like Thornton. Hockey players in bad moods sometimes go over the line.

Orpik didn't help himself any by being Brooks Orpik, one of the most disliked defenders in the league.

I'm not sure what your point is here. That because Brooks Orpik is unlikeable he should be mugged for clean hits and seriously injured? Or that this is ok because it would have been worse in the 70's and 80's?

It's a joke. They do it because they can. Hit him with a HUGE suspension and all the sudden his "bad mood" doesn't result in a hospital trip for soemeone else.

Maybe you should have a look at the knee to the head he did. The eriksson hit was clean though - he was mauled for a different reason

EDIT maybe it wasn't orpik that kneed him

Orpik didn't knee Marchand, Neal did. Maybe you should look it up.

[Guest DeGraa55]

Maybe you should have a look at the knee to the head he did. The eriksson hit was clean though - he was mauled for a different reason

EDIT maybe it wasn't orpik that kneed him

Neal did it but then got off the ice. So he got the next best guy....orpik.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

I'm not sure what your point is here. That because Brooks Orpik is unlikeable he should be mugged for clean hits and seriously injured? Or that this is ok because it would have been worse in the 70's and 80's?

It's a joke. They do it because they can. Hit him with a HUGE suspension and all the sudden his "bad mood" doesn't result in a hospital trip for soemeone else.

Orpik didn't knee Marchand, Neal did. Maybe you should look it up.

Well your post was about what the code has become. I'm just pointing out that enforcers haven't always followed the code in earlier eras. Not sure why you think it has become worse than it was before.

The code has never been anything more than a word with no real definition.

[BottleOfSmoke 5,965]

Wow. Some of the responses in this thread just...

*shakes head*

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

As someone who's a big proponent of fighting in hockey, I hate to see s*** like this because I know what it's eventually going to lead too. Stuff like this by Thornton, and John Scott attacking a skill player, is going to get fighting banned in hockey. This isn't the 70's or the 80's anymore, enforcers need to provide protection and keep teams honest. Not attack players who are considerably more talented then them, clean hit? Sure, please do. That's your role, dirt like this? You're going to cost yourself a job down the line. When even Don Cherry (pro fighting, pro Bruins) is visibly upset by it, you know it's not good.

[AusWing40 61]

Orpik should've fought him the first time two cheap shots on bruins players led to it...Thornton will get a suspension but I don't blame him.

Kneeing a guy in the head is clean? LOL.

There was nothing wrong with the hit on Eriksson. Why would orpik need to fight Thornton? If he wanted to fight anyone for a cheap shot it's Neal.

Gutless on thorntons part. Prick deserves at least 10.

[vladdy16 2,154]

There is no "code"

I've seen muggings from he 70's and 80's that make this incident look like kissing. Thornton went over the line, but that's always happened in different eras as well. You can't take that out of hockey even if you neuter players like Thornton. Hockey players in bad moods sometimes go over the line.

Orpik didn't help himself any by being Brooks Orpik, one of the most disliked defenders in the league.

I must disagree in that for a long time there absolutely was an established, albeit unwritten, code. It died when the instigator rule came in. Sure, back in the guy some guys were playing on the edge or over it, but they knew they would have to answer the bell for it later on. That doesn't happen anymore. That coupled with the increase in equipment protection has led to complete disrespect amongst a lot of the players.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

I must disagree in that for a long time there absolutely was an established, albeit unwritten, code. It died when the instigator rule came in. Sure, back in the guy some guys were playing on the edge or over it, but they knew they would have to answer the bell for it later on. That doesn't happen anymore. That coupled with the increase in equipment protection has led to complete disrespect amongst a lot of the players.

Thornton also knows he'll have to answer it some day. He's not Matt Cooke. He's an enforcer who fights a lot and he knows he'll fight the Pens top fighters the next time they meet. He just went over the line like guys like Probert, Odjick and Brown would do on occasions.

The only thing that has changed over the years, is disrespect from players on high hits and hits from behind. That I will agree with. But an incident like this from a scrum is something that's always occured from time to time.

Edited December 8, 2013 by GMRwings1983

[Guest DeGraa55]

There was nothing wrong with the hit on Eriksson. Why would orpik need to fight Thornton? If he wanted to fight anyone for a cheap shot it's Neal.

Gutless on thorntons part. Prick deserves at least 10.

Well there was something wrong with the hit. The defenseman left erikson out to get nailed. But remember players don't always see the hits as they happen and they are the result. Erikson was also coming back from an injury that's why Thornton went and challenged him.

Then Neal kneed marchand in the head which he deserves a huge suspension for. And Thornton was on the ice for this. He should've gone after neal but he immediently went off the ice so Thornton then grabbed orpik and he fell which I have no problem with. What I do have a problem is once orpik fell Thornton then hit him two or three times for sure(may of been more but hard to see with so many people grabbing him). And Thornton should get 5 games for it. But this would've been avoided if orpik would've fought him earlier or if Neal didn't go to bench.

Edited December 8, 2013 by DeGraa55

[kipwinger 8,493]

Well your post was about what the code has become. I'm just pointing out that enforcers haven't always followed the code in earlier eras. Not sure why you think it has become worse than it was before.

The code has never been anything more than a word with no real definition.

I actually agree with that. I was trying to make a statement to those who defend fighting because of "the code", which is a joke. I've never thought it meant much, and when things like this happen it's even more obvious how silly it is. I don't think it's become worse, I think that nobody even pretends anymore.

[Guest DeGraa55]

Well there was something wrong with the hit. The defenseman left erikson out to get nailed. But remember players don't always see the hits as they happen and they are the result. Erikson was also coming back from an injury that's why Thornton went and challenged him.

Then Neal kneed marchand in the head which he deserves a huge suspension for. And Thornton was on the ice for this. He should've gone after neal but he immediently went off the ice so Thornton then grabbed orpik and he fell which I have no problem with. What I do have a problem is once orpik fell Thornton then hit him two or three times for sure(may of been more but hard to see with so many people grabbing him). And Thornton should get 5 games for it. But this would've been avoided if orpik would've fought him earlier or if Neal didn't go to bench.

[dirtydangles 1,328]

Well there was something wrong with the hit. The defenseman left erikson out to get nailed. But remember players don't always see the hits as they happen and they are the result. Erikson was also coming back from an injury that's why Thornton went and challenged him.

Then Neal kneed marchand in the head which he deserves a huge suspension for. And Thornton was on the use for this. He should've gone after Erikson but he immediently went off the ice so Thornton then grabbed orpik and he fell which I have no problem with. What I do have a problem is once orpik fell Thornton then hit him two or three times for sure(may of been more but hard to see with so many people grabbing him). And Thornton should get 5 games for it. But this would've been avoided if orpik would've fought him earlier or if Neal didn't go to bench.

Thornton tripped Orpik - he put his leg behind to prevent Orpik from balancing. I think this is overstepping by Thornton considering Orpik didn't do anything outside the rules. Initially I thought he was the one who kneed Marchand - that is worth some retaliation - but that should be done to Neal. I'm actually wondering how serious the injury to Orpik was because he didn't look like he banged his head hard on the ice or got hit too bad from Thornton - i've seen far worse do the same damage. Anyways - we will see what Shanny does with this. I can see Neal getting away with nothing and claiming it was an accident.