Another example of a legal hit and then another player that has to fight because he hit someone legally with a text book hit. Hockey is a physical game and Clutterbuck shouldn't have to fight because he smashed someone within the rules of the game. Steve Ott proves once again that he is nothing more than a knuckle dragging nethanderal hack. Again I think fighting is a part of the game and I find it entertaining but why would you drop the gloves because someone checked a team mate? That is bravo sierra, checking is part of the game.
When you play the Minnesota Wild, you have to be weary of two things: Methodical play, and the Clutterbuck bullet train. Apparently Dallas didn’t get the memo. You know, the one released a month ago?
Resident bone crusher Cal Clutterbuck laid some serious wood on Brad Richards, then tangled with Dallas Stars enforcer Steve Ott – twice.To the doubters of Cal’s strength and whether it transitioned to his play on the ice, you will soon be silenced.
As the puck was coming out of the Dallas zone, Brad Richards tried to find a forward up ice and flicked the puck in the direction of another Star. Unfortunately for the seasoned veteran, his head was down, and Cal Clutterbuck was waiting in the wings. There’s not much else I can say about this, other than Brad Richards will keep his head up the next time Clutterbuck comes to the American Airlines Arena
[Pete Prose]
The only way this nonsense stops is if there's a match penalty or suspension involved with an instigation like what Ott did following a clean hit. Again, bush league.
ReplyDeleteOne of these days Ott is going to get what is coming to him. It's just a matter of time. He has been a torn in the Wild's side all year long.
ReplyDeleteI too am wondering about this new trend. Legal hit, fight commences. Not good. HOWEVER, i don't think it's new for an 'enforcer' type player to go after another of the same after he has laid a huge hit (upper arm to head) on team one's leading point-getter. In other words, many of these huge hits to the head (intentional, legal or not) are landing on the heads of team's best players. It seemed to get rolling this year in pre-season w/ the Phaneuf target to Okposo's head. And while Ott is so beloved across the NHL, I notice it's not these type players taking these huge hits. It's the heads of Richards, Booth, Okposo, etc that are being targeted. So do we believe it is only the marquis players who look down at the puck occasionally while making a play?
ReplyDeleteI would think that Scott or Bogie would have to take after Ott and take the 2 minute instigator penalty.
ReplyDeleteEither that or the league could start suspending the guys that start a fight after a clean hit.
I don't see what's so bad about wanting to fight a guy after a big hit, clean or not. Steve Ott might be a questionable guy, but what's so bad about standing up for one of your guys that got clobbered? Yeah, give him an instigator penalty or something, but the idea that someone can lay someone else out and be protected from retribution is asinine.
ReplyDeleteWhy is going after someone who makes a clean hit any different from going after a guy that scored a goal?
ReplyDeleteWhistler-
ReplyDeleteBecause when a player scores a goal, typically the goaltender doesn't hit the ice/boards hard unless it's Osgood's head hitting the ice after he gave up yet ANOTHER weak-arsed goal.