Is anybody else out there wishing the Bruins would not play the Flyers for the rest of the season? In their second meeting of the season, the Flyers again knocked out a Bruins player with a hit that was questionable. Coach Claude Julien could only shake his head behind the bench as he watched another Bruin lie motionless on the ice. I know I am getting awfully tired seeing Bruins players lying down face first on the ice.
Photo property of Getty Images.
Defenseman Andrew Alberts was trying to play the puck from his knees, preventing it from going into the Bruins defensive zone, and Scott Hartnell skated over and “finished his check” with Alberts’s head at the same level as the dasher. It probably wasn’t the smartest way to play a puck, especially so close to the boards, but hitting a 6’4” player who is on his knees is dumber. It’s understandable why I have read that this hit could be considered worse than the hit on Patrice Bergeron last month.
Hartnell had time to adjust his body and avoid driving the side of Alberts’s head into the dasher, but he didn’t. He could’ve glided over a foot to the right and avoided Alberts completely and hit glass. It wasn’t as if Alberts dropped to his knees at the last second before Hartnell checked him. There was some time before Hartnell even entered into the area where Alberts was. (YouTube video can be seen on James Mirtle’s blog, as well as a debate in the comments.)
I’m not sure what was worse, the hit on Alberts or Flyers’ fans booing when Alberts started getting up after the hit. I can only hope the NHL takes the appropriate action and hands down yet another suspension, but who knows if that will happen and if the length will be another joke.
Meanwhile, one blogger asks the question: And how are the Bruins not going ballistic, seeing another one of their teammates knocked out by the Flyers?
It’s easy. The fans are going ballistic enough for the Bruins.
Alberts did leave the rink on his feet, and will be evaluated by doctors in Boston today. The Bruins are home until tomorrow when they’ll jet off to Florida for a couple of games to begin the second leg of their road trip.
Perhaps I should give up live-blogging games… at the very least games against the Flyers.
6 Comments
I love fights as much as the next guy..but I like big wins even better.
1. Posted by March | November 27, 2007 9:57 AM
Wins are great. Fights are entertaining. Injuries take away from both.
2. Posted by Jaci | November 27, 2007 12:16 PM
I agree with both of you, but their needs to be a message sent to Philly about these types of hits. Ward had it right when he tackled that guy last night. Looks like the next time we play them is Jan 12th. We do not need retribution but those types of hits can not stand.
3. Posted by Ash | November 27, 2007 1:23 PM
Just wanted to say I love your site, Jaci! I've been reading your blog for as long as I can remember but never commented. As a long time hockey/Bruins fan, yeah I love the fights and the big hits. It's sticking up for your team, and builds momentum. However Bergeron and Alberts are perfect exaples as to why something should seriously be done. The 2 game suspension for Jones was absolutely ridiculous. In all fairness that guy should be out as long as the other guy is out. But that will never happen. Anything on Alberts yet? GO BRUINS!
4. Posted by Steph | November 27, 2007 2:31 PM
The problem is if the league isn't going to properly discipline such hits, then teams/players will start taking matters into their own hands. That's the last thing the league should want.
But handing out two games suspensions for hits that knock players out with concussions (severe ones in Bergeron's case) is sending the wrong kind of message from Colin Campbell. That message is going completely against Bergeron's message of respecting other players. Players may be keeping their sticks down more since cross-checking another player in the face will get a 25 game suspension, but driving heads into the boards only gets 2 games. It doesn't make sense.
Thanks for the comment Steph. The last thing I read about Alberts was from the article I linked today that said he'd be evaluated again. I'll check around and if I find anything new, I'll update.
5. Posted by Jaci | November 27, 2007 3:21 PM
Blah that picture is so disturbing lol. But yeah it doesn't make sense to me either. Being a big Bergeron fan, I had a hard time watching his press conference. I'm happy I did because I had a crap load of respect for everything he said. Let's hope those words have had at least some effect on the league. And may I add those Flyers are a bunch of punks, yet I loved Knuble back in the day!
6. Posted by Steph | November 27, 2007 5:45 PM