Monday, June 7, 2021

Defensive or Dirty Hit?

I was listening to game one of the Jets-Canadiens series on CJOB. At the end of the game one of the Jets players, whose name I am too lazy to learn to spell, hit a Canadien player who was scoring a wrap-around empty-net goal so hard that that scorer had to be carried off the ice on the stretcher. The announcers who were biased towards the Jets said the hit was dirty and made by a player who was frustrated. They even suggested that the player would be suspended for more games.


Listening to this, I thought the Jets had lost the series right at that moment. I communicated this thought via text message to two people I know in Winnipeg. The one who was a not a Jets fan thought the hit was dirty; the other who was a Jets fans said the hit was defensive and worthy of maybe a minor penalty. The latter was strong in this view so I had to tell him that I would have to see video of the hit. I also told the latter than I hoped he was right.


After watching video of the hit, I would say that the hit seemed defensive when seen in normal speed but definitely looks dirty when seen in slow motion.


The NHL gave the player a four game suspension. I think the Jets are toast in this series -- I am afraid to say.





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