Former Fighting Sioux hockey beat writer Virg Foss has a really good article on "illegal hits." I think Virg is right; if I was a head coach in college hockey today what's to stop me from telling one of my tougher players to just go out and run the other team's top player? The refs on the ice can’t even make the right call half the time anyways. We had an official calling a player for a five minute checking from behind call when it wasn't even an illegal hit. Even if the refs do get the call right that night, you probably aren't going to pay for the illegal hit with any extra games anyways.
“If I coached college hockey,” he said, “I’d take my worst player and send him out to fight the best player on the other team, getting him out of the game,” he said. “I’d take that trade-off any day.”
He ignited a topic that has been boiling inside me for some time now, the relatively free pass given to players in college hockey who inflict grave harm upon an opponent.
It was that same anger that prompted this mild-mannered basketball coach to flip over the edge with his suggestion.
n A few years ago, Denver’s Geoff Paukovich delivered a pulverizing, illegal check from behind into the boards to UND’s Robbie Bina. The hit broke Bina’s neck, took him out of hockey for a year, and who knows what limitations he’ll face later in life.
Paukovich, not even penalized on the play, was later given a game suspension by his school, one more by the league. Big hairy deal, I say.
n Last year, Minnesota State’s Trevor Breuss slew-footed UND’s Derrick LaPoint into the end boards, snapping the leg of LaPoint and ending his season. Breuss received a slap on the wrist from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, much like Paukovich.
n This season, St. Cloud State’s Aaron Marvin tracked UND’s Chay Genoway the length of the ice, delivering an illegal high hit, smashing Genoway’s head into the glass and leaving him knocked senseless on the ice with a concussion.
Marvin got an additional game suspension from the WCHA. Genoway, one of the league’s most dynamic players, hasn’t played since the Nov. 13 hit. Coaches are not sure when — or if — his reported concussion will clear this season.
It bugs me to no end that players such as Bina, LaPoint and Genoway can be knocked out of action for a spell, a season, or maybe forever and the players who inflict the injuries skate away relatively unscathed.
Something’s wrong with the rules of college hockey, folks. That players can be seriously injured with little consequence to the violators alters not only their careers, but the fortunes of their teams.
A league championship, perhaps a national title, can be taken away in a blink by a reckless hit, whether intent to harm was there or not.
[Grand Forks Herald]
Hey Goon,
ReplyDeleteNo mention of Hextall's hit on Friday night? He didn't get the disqualification and was able to play on Saturday. That was CFB.
Todd
The hit was no where near as brutal as the hits that Virg made mention of.
ReplyDeleteMatt Greene settles a score
ReplyDeleteTwo and a half years have passed, but Matt Greene finally settled a score.
Edmonton Sports Radio host Bob Stauffer reported that the former Sioux defenseman pummeled Geoff Paukovich at the Edmonton Oilers' conditioning camp a few days ago -- getting retribution for Paukovich's illegal check that broke Robbie Bina's neck in March 2005.
Greene confirmed that he got into a scuffle with Paukovich, but said he couldn't further comment on the incident.
Stauffer, who posted the report on Hockey's Future, hosts a two-hour primetime show on the The Team 1260 AM. He's been doing it for four years and he also works at the University of Alberta, which is where the incident took place. Here's his description of what happened:
"Paukovich showed up at Clare Drake Arena the other day for the U. of A. Conditioning Camp and Greene, of course, is an Oilers regular. Greene was late for a session and the two were slated to be on the same team when he saw Paukovich in a drill.
Greene immediately skated over to Paukovich and told him the day of reckoning had arrived and proceeded to, according to onlookers, make short work of Paukovich. The one-sided tilt lasted 15 to 20 seconds. The two shook hands after the fight."
Incase you don't remember, the Bina incident happened in March 2005 during the WCHA Final Five. UND players and coaches felt the game was too important to have someone retaliate and miss the rest of the tournament, so there was no retribution then.
The next time the teams met was for the national championship. So, of course, nothing happened then either. After that game, Greene turned pro.
When the teams played in early 2005, things got testy at the end of a Saturday night game, but Denver pulled Paukovich off the ice.
When they met again in February 2006, Mike Prpich speared Paukovich between the legs after a face-off. Prpich maintained that he was only trying to tie up Paukovich after the face-off and the end result was not planned.
This summer, Paukovich decided to turn pro after three seasons at Denver and he signed with the Oilers, who had drafted him. Greene, who was the captain of the Sioux when Bina got injured, obviously hasn't forgotten the incident and decided to take action.
Maybe you recall the followup with Greene and Paukovich....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.areavoices.com/undhockey/?blog=12261
Sept, 2007
Matt Greene settles a score
Two and a half years have passed, but Matt Greene finally settled a score. Edmonton Sports Radio host Bob Stauffer reported that the former Sioux defenseman pummeled Geoff Paukovich at the Edmonton Oilers' conditioning camp a few days ago -- getting retribution for Paukovich's illegal check that broke Robbie Bina's neck in March 2005.
"Greene immediately skated over to Paukovich and told him the day of reckoning had arrived and proceeded to, according to onlookers, make short work of Paukovich. The one-sided tilt lasted 15 to 20 seconds. The two shook hands after the fight."
Incase you don't remember, the Bina incident happened in March 2005 during the WCHA Final Five. UND players and coaches felt the game was too important to have someone retaliate and miss the rest of the tournament, so there was no retribution then.
Sioux7NationalTitles, the Bina hit was one of the dirties plays I have ever seen then second is the Marvin hit on Genoway.
ReplyDeleteAlso keep in mind that Breuss, after MANY incidents of questionable play "left" Mankato to the AHL. The rumors around that was leave or you have no team.
ReplyDeleteBreuss was a piece of work. Good point. I remember hearing during the MSU-M series last year that he was gone.
ReplyDeleteOkay, let's try that again, forming a proper sentence this time.
ReplyDeleteIt would give a bit more credence to these arguments if writers could give examples that do not involve their own teams.
You have to include in the top 5 ugly, criminal hits, the
ReplyDeleteTropp/Conboy attack on Kampfer at Michigan-Michigan State Hockey Game (2008)
Donna, Virg doesn't have to he is one of the more respected writers around the WCHA, he is now retired. His opinion holds credence.
ReplyDelete7 titles I would include that one as well.
ReplyDeleteHow about Schack's Hit on the Mankato player in the WCHA first round last year. He was taken off on a streacher and I don't think(correct please if I am wrong) Schack sat that game or the next.
ReplyDeleteMore Sioux for you, Schack was given a 5 minute major and a game disqualification for his Todd Bertuzzi style attack on Channing Boe. Also, the league never gave him anything additional. Lucia condoned the attack as well by saying he was glad that someone finally stood up for a fellow player.
ReplyDeleteAs I said Correct me please.
ReplyDeleteThank You.
Also wasn't there nn incident with the Badgers earlier this year?(either way them getting hit or vise versa)
I know who Virg Foss is. But it's not that hard to do some research and mention other illegal hits from other teams. Look how easy it was. Then it seems less like whining about "Poor UND" and more about "This is a league-wide and sport-wide issue."
ReplyDeleteDonna imagine God forbid if some hack from another team ran one of your talented Connolleys (sp) and ended their season or knocked them out for an extended period of time what do you think Kevin Pates would write? It would probably cost your team 4-8 points in the outcome of the season. It could cost your team home ice.
ReplyDeleteVirg Foss is writing for the Greater Grand Forks area but the message could be for any team. It’s about the incompetence of the leagues leadership and the on ice officials. Virg Foss is a good hockey mind.
It's not really Kevin Pates's style.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying he's not correct. I'm saying he would do well to include other egregious examples as well. Like I said, it's not that hard. Look how fast examples appeared on here. I certainly understand what he's trying to say, but the scope of the article is limited to only UND players who have been hit illegally by other teams, and his article is (or at least it should be) directed at a much broader audience.