Comments on: One Cheesesteak With a Side of Double Standards, Please

By: Thunderweenie

Thunderweenie — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:49:56 +0000

Dave,
More like: the guy gets up and shakes off the birdies circling his head (i.e. what Downie did) = no suspension.
The guy goes down like a sack of cement, doesn’t move, and then gets carried out on a stretcher (i.e. what Downie did to McCammond) = suspension.
So, yes, it is kinda simple. Does it get called consistently 100% of the time? No, and neither does any other penalty. But what Laracque did to Downie just doesn’t rise to the level of a suspension. Period.
And BTW, I’m not a Pens fan, just a guy who has been watching Downie for a while now. If you know anything about his history, you can’t possibly tell me you’re surprised that he’s become a target.
What goes around comes around. S’all I’m sayin’.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:13:52 +0000

Curious about all the Pen’s fans who are Downie haters. Did you guys feel the same way about Ulf Samuelsson and Darius Kasparaitis?

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:07:48 +0000

So under the rules….For the hitter-When you hit a guy from behind, make sure he’s not a puss, so he’ll get up. For the hittee-Hit the deck and stay down. Draw the suspension. The rules are really rather simple.

By: Thunderweenie

Thunderweenie — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:47:28 +0000

Bill,
I refer you to my previous post. By the NHL’s own rulebook, injury is a factor in assessing penalty. The rulebook does not say that every instance of boarding shall lead to a suspension.
You can argue that boarding should be an automatic suspension, and that’s a legitimate argument–but its an argument for a rule change. The rules as they currently stand were, in my opinion, applied correctly.
As for your “orange and black” comment…nah, I’m not even gonna go there.

By: bill matz

bill matz — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:13:49 +0000

if laraque’s hit isn’t worthy of a suspension, a hit in which he drove a player who at no point was facing forward, into the boards from behind, then why was randy jones hit, in which a player turned at the last moment causing injury, worthy of suspension? the outcome should have nothing to do with the punishment. laraque is dirtier than any player on the flyers but since he doesn’t wear orange and black he will go unpunished.

By: Thunderweenie

Thunderweenie — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:15:43 +0000

I won’t “vehemently” disagree with you, Tom, by which I mean I’m not going to trash-talk you or anything silly like that. But, sorry, I do reserve the right to disagree. Laracque’s hit on Downie was garden-variety boarding. It happens all the time.
Its an illegal and potentially dangerous hit, sure, but suspensions and such really are meant for stuff that is off-the-charts bad. Downie’s hit on McCammond was worthy of a suspension. Simon’s skate-stomp on Ruutu was worthy of a suspension. A hit from behind into the boards where the guy shook it off and skated away? Nah. Sorry. I don’t buy it.
You are free to dislike Laracque, his mouth, and his style of play, but ultimately he has to be judged on his actions. Is he the worst of the worst in the NHL today? Not even close.

By: frustrated cap fan

frustrated cap fan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 01:18:43 +0000

There was clearly no intent to injur, they both went in to the corner after the puck and one came out with it. Seriously, when I played college hockey 25 years ago this wasn’t even a penalty, it was an unfortunate play for the guy on the ice, but he got up, he wasn’t injured and there wasn’t any intent on either players part to hurt the other. Also they were both gliding when the hit occured., wha’t Larouque supposed to do let Downie go get the puck without playing him? How is this any different then Ovie’s attempted hit on Malkin a couple weeks ago? If Malkin hadn’t looked up and gotten the better of that should Ovie have gotten a 5 minute penalty – I think not. Boarding used to require more then 1 step directly at the player you were hitting – not anymore…why not? Despite discussions that the game is more physical this season rather than last, I think … NOT. LETS GO CAPS!!!

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:18:29 +0000

It shouldn’t matter whether this cheap hit by Laraque was against Steve Downie. It was a cheap shot by a man who increasingly is getting worse and worse. His cheap antic of taking out Marty Biron’s legs the last time the Pens played the Flyers should belittle his image as a tough NHL player. That was one of the lowest and cheapest antics, against a goalie, that I have seen in 40 years of watching NHL hockey. He should have gotten at least a one game suspension just for the blatant obviousness of the attempt to injure Biron on the play. I would be willing to bet you that if Cheap-Shot George had done that to Marty Brodeur, the league would have looked long and hard at that footage.
The fact that a tough guy like Laraque would resort to such a cheap and foolish tactic is probably a sign that he is a real goon. And his utter lack of remorse about his cheap hits, proven by his ridiculous post-game comment about Downie “diving” and ?¢‚Ç¨?ìIf I want to hit somebody from behind, he?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s not going to get up?¢‚Ç¨? should show Colin Campbell that this goon needs to be dealt with before he cripples somebody with his size and strength. At least a 5 game suspension is warrented. And before you start vehemently disagreeing with me, remember, this goon showed absolutely no remorse and that should weigh heavily in any disciplinary decision.

By: Biff

Biff — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 04:11:20 +0000

Anyone else notice that the scroll at the bottom lists the Caps’ goal scorers as Laich, Kozlov and *Beech*?

By: pepper

pepper — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:58:55 +0000

Trying to be objective – how is this hit different then Eminger’s on Ponikarovsky on Wednesday night? Looks like Laraque even backed off to me.