Questionable Ference hit on Halpern (by REDWING77)

Viewing this hit, what is surely going to happen in the comments thread of this video is the proverbial splitting of hairs. Halpern and Ference collide. There is DEFINITELY contact to the head on this play.

The hair splitter is whether or not Ference raised his elbow/shoulder. His elbow clearly bends pre-hit, but his shoulder does not rise. Nevertheless, Halpern does something EXTREMELY stupid: Skate at a player with his head down.

I'm not quite certain what Halpern was trying to do here. The puck wasn't near Ference when Halpern swerved to maneuver into contact with Ference and Ference clobbered him... seemingly.

The issue with Ference is that he sees it coming and does nothing to avoid contact. In fact, he slows down before contacting Halpern. This could mean two things (hence another hair splitter):

1. Ference was trying to soften the blow, as skating produces a shifting of the shoulders that could produce an actual elbow or shoulder to the head in so much as seemingly intentional of manner, just as much as the momentum going in the opposite direction of the oncoming Halpern could further cause harm.

2. Ference slowed down to ensure contact with Halpern.

Both are plausible. Also the pretence that Halpern skated in on Ference to level Ference may have been the intent and Halpern just did it wrong.

Either way, no suspension. But Montreal will call for it.

Let the hair splitting commence.