Some thoughts on Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final
Well, I decided to interrupt Part 2 of my blog on which teams should be next for the moving van to say a few words about Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. I think the league did the right thing in suspending Vancouver’s Aaron Rome the rest of the Final series for his cheap shot on Nathan Horton of Boston.
I will admit I have had nothing good to say about the NHL recently. The whole Atlanta Thrashers mess combined with the League continuing to drop the ball on suspensions through the whole playoffs has put my opinion of the NHL there with FIFA and the Australian Football League. Starting with the cheap shot of Raffei Torres (who was just coming of a suspension for a head shot) on Brent Seabrook in the Chicago/Vancouver series to Alex Burrows biting Patrice Bergeron finger in Game 1 of the Finals and ever miss suspension in between.
I know a lot of people will not say this but I will, the atmosphere that league created by not punishing guys for stepping across the line was a joke and helped lead to this incident. Don’t get me wrong Rome also shares the blame, but I was talking to a friend on the phone about how I thought there might be a cheap shot that would cause things to get out of hand in Game 3 while I was watching it. .The league had showed no interest in policing anything, and that explanation about Burrows biting Bergeron was embarrassing.
Here is a league that has complained about head shots all season (and the leagues best player, Sidney Crosby, on the side line from a concussion) and in the playoffs buries its head in the sand. Norton’s career could have been ended.
Oh, I think the world of Barry Melrose, but Barry that was a cheap shot. First, Rome targeted the head; two Norton did not have the puck. Three, it wasn’t a continuation play. Watch the replay, Rome stops and then steps into Horton. Four, Rome left his feet. One more thing about the league office, I did think it was funny when Milan Lucic stuck his fingers to Burrows daring him to bite them.
However, today the league come out with a mandate that this kind of taunting will be punished with a two minute minor and 10 minute misconduct. Really, why did the League come out with that kind of declaration when Burrows did the biting!
I will admit I have had nothing good to say about the NHL recently. The whole Atlanta Thrashers mess combined with the League continuing to drop the ball on suspensions through the whole playoffs has put my opinion of the NHL there with FIFA and the Australian Football League. Starting with the cheap shot of Raffei Torres (who was just coming of a suspension for a head shot) on Brent Seabrook in the Chicago/Vancouver series to Alex Burrows biting Patrice Bergeron finger in Game 1 of the Finals and ever miss suspension in between.
I know a lot of people will not say this but I will, the atmosphere that league created by not punishing guys for stepping across the line was a joke and helped lead to this incident. Don’t get me wrong Rome also shares the blame, but I was talking to a friend on the phone about how I thought there might be a cheap shot that would cause things to get out of hand in Game 3 while I was watching it. .The league had showed no interest in policing anything, and that explanation about Burrows biting Bergeron was embarrassing.
Here is a league that has complained about head shots all season (and the leagues best player, Sidney Crosby, on the side line from a concussion) and in the playoffs buries its head in the sand. Norton’s career could have been ended.
Oh, I think the world of Barry Melrose, but Barry that was a cheap shot. First, Rome targeted the head; two Norton did not have the puck. Three, it wasn’t a continuation play. Watch the replay, Rome stops and then steps into Horton. Four, Rome left his feet. One more thing about the league office, I did think it was funny when Milan Lucic stuck his fingers to Burrows daring him to bite them.
However, today the league come out with a mandate that this kind of taunting will be punished with a two minute minor and 10 minute misconduct. Really, why did the League come out with that kind of declaration when Burrows did the biting!
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