I don't like this hit one bit and these types of dangerous hits need to be eliminated from the game of hockey. Even today after watching the hit some more, I am not changing my opinion one bit. The hit is dangerous, senseless and unnecessary.
You have a player like Cody McLeod that is at best a third line player in the NHL taking out a top defensive player for the Wild. Again, the refs rescued the offending player McLeod before anyone from the Minnesota Wild could get to McLeod to have him answer for that Bush League hit.
To also suggest that Spurgeon is responsible for being plastered into the boards is also ridiculous. I have also seen Avalanche fans defending this hit and Cody McLeod.
According to Michael Russo, after the game Wild Coach Mike Yeo was unimpressed with the McLeod hit. Yeo went so far to suggest that the Av's players were targeting Spurgeon during the game.
"I didn't like the hit one bit," Wild coach Mike Yeo said.The next time the Wild play the Avalanche this hit has to be answered for and Wild need to respond appropriately. I also predict that McLeod will get nothing in the way of a suspension from the National Hockey League.
Yeo didn't have an update on Spurgeon immediately after the game, but he did have a strong opinion. He said he felt the Avalanche might have been targeting Spurgeon. "They hit him from behind two shifts before that," he said. "And I thought that one could have been called, too. I thought that one was dangerous. So twice ... five minutes into the game?"
