News and Notes

The all star captains have been named: Lidstrom and E. Staal. While I'm ok with the nod to Lidstrom based on oh I don't know his whole career, but Staal? Had this event been anywhere else, Staal isn't even in the running.

Which sort of leads nicely into this next bit of news. There is a story going around that Sid Crosby will sit out of the all star game in protest of the head shots. Look, I love Sid but he's vanilla. He's not going to sit out. Period. He'll go and if he can't play, he'll make nice just like he did in Montreal. He's the NHL corporate boy. He knows his role (plus he was voted in. He's bright enough to know that fans want to see him there; he will not disappoint). However I wonder if that rumor had anything to do with Crosby not being named one of the captains.

Or is the league *gasp* trying to expose other players? Say it's not so! What will all the haters do when Sid and Ovie are not "shoved down their throats"?

The Panthers coasted to a 2-0 lead over Atlanta only to watch the Thrash score two goals in the last two minutes of the game to push it to a shootout. Atlanta won. Florida is finding new and creative ways to lose games. If there is a case study in contraction, may I give you exhibit A.

Finally there are game on TV tonight that I actually care about. Granted I won't be able to see two of them (the wings play the pens so that will be blacked out and the Buffalo v Montreal game is on Versus) so that leaves me Colorado and Vancouver. Starting at 9 my time. Stupid time zones. My dog Max is a patient sort of guy but he won't wait that long for an end of the game potty break.

Here is what I just don't get

Toronto's Mike Brown was suspended for hitting Jovo in a game against Phoenix. Why? A blind side hit. In the play, there are a few players going for the puck (this is important actually). Brown comes in and delivers a wicked hit to Jovo in a way of getting in his way. Ok, the hit wasn't clean, fine. There was no penalty called although I'm thinking a case for at least interference could have been made. But no call was made and ok we go from there. But, to me, the key is, they were going for the puck. There was a reason for the contact

Lets jump into our way back machine and travel to January 1st. Sidney Crosby is behind the play when he was clocked by Dave Steckel. The puck was no where near him at the time of the hit.

Rule 48.1 reads as follows:

Illegal Check to the Head - A lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact is not permitted.

There was no reason for the Steckel hit. I'm not going to say he is dirty because I think it's far from that. However, it wasn't like two guys coming together for the puck. Stecks delivered a "lateral or blind side hit" to an opponent whose head was "the principle point of contact". I youtubed the clip again to make sure I wasn't talking fangirl shit. You can see it here. Please go take a look and tell me Sid's head didn't take the brunt of the contact.

Now, would league discipline have prevented Sid from getting hurt? No, but still. Maybe this is just a rant from someone who is tired of seeing # 87 out of the line up. Again.