Saturday Hockey Links

ICYMI, this goal by Drake Caggiula was named #The1 by @FOXSportsLive on Friday (00:12 mark): http://t.co/IzboyMkDL4
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) November 2, 2013

Prior to last night, UND had lost just six of its last 107 games when leading after two periods, dating back to the start of 2008-09.
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) November 2, 2013

Commentary: Shootout Insanity ... http://t.co/c22C3YyKGC
— College Hockey News (@chnews) November 1, 2013

TONS of votes for @UNDMHockey's Drake Caggiula for #The1 tonight, but can it top Eric Bledsoe's game winning buzzer beater for the @Suns?
— FOXSportsLive (@FOXSportsLive) November 2, 2013

Video highlights of last night's men's hockey game between SCSU and North Dakota #scsuhockey http://t.co/Tm1GCi2YhR http://t.co/tc8nc9wimp
— Mick Hatten (@MickHatten) November 2, 2013

Sabres place Patrick Kaleta on waivers, hope he'll 'change his game' http://t.co/sWzX90zris
— Eye on Hockey (@EyeOnHockey) November 2, 2013

Interesting take on things, but the fact remains that these types of hits are no longer acceptable in the NHL.

Bill Hoppe, Olean Times Herald -- In other news, tough guy John Scott, who won’t appeal his seven-game suspension for hitting Boston’s Loui Eriksson’s in the head last week, said he’ll “err on the side of caution for now on.”

“I just got to be a little more responsible and really pay attention to how the other players, how his head lines up, if he’s vulnerable in any way,” said Scott, who noted he had a “good” and “frank” conversation with NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan during Thursday’s hearing.

Scott, while acknowledging he shouldn’t have hit Eriksson high, doesn’t believe the hit was late. He blamed NBC commentator Pierre McGuire for making viewers believe that.

“I think Pierre McGuire shooting his mouth off right after the hit got that on a lot of peoples’ minds,” Scott said. “‘It’s a late hit, it’s an elbow, it’s a high hit.’ He was just kind of throwing out all these different things, just hopefully one will stick. It wasn’t a late hit. It was just kind of an unfortunate circumstance.”

Related articles

• UND Hockey: Drake Caggiula Makes Speedy Recovery (thehockeywriters.com)
• NCHC Hockey: UND's beats Miami in Inaugural Game (thehockeywriters.com)
• How Do The Boston Bruins Fill Loui Eriksson's Spot? (thehockeywriters.com)

Bettman upholds Buffalo Sabres "Rat" Patrick Kaleta's 10-game suspension

English: NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman in 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There was a some good news today. I love the fact that the NHL stood strong and wouldn't reduce Buffalo Sabres Foward/Rat Patrick Kaleta's 10 game suspension. I think it's the right call and it's the first step in the right diection in further preventing theses of dirty hits. Like I said before, I am all for gritty play and big hits, but there's no defending hits to head that violate the NHL's rule 48.

NEW YORK -- Commissioner Gary Bettman today upheld the 10-game suspension that was assessed to Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta by the Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson in NHL Game No. 49 in Buffalo on October 10.

Commissioner Bettman heard Kaleta's appeal of the original decision, assessed Oct. 15, at a hearing in New York on Monday.

Kaleta is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, will forfeit $152,439.00. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 3:08 of the first period.

You can read what the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman had to say about the Kaleta Suspension and why he denied shortening the Buffalo forward's suspension. (Click to View)

Related articles

• NHL upholds Buffalo Sabres Patrick Kaleta's 10-game suspension (o.canada.com)
• Gary Bettman upholds Patrick Kaleta's 10-game suspension (tracking.si.com)
• Sabres Hack John Scott Pounds Bruins Forward Loui Eriksson in the Head (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

Sabres Hack John Scott Pounds Bruins Forward Loui Eriksson in the Head

Last night, Buffalo Sabres pylon, hack, one-dimensional forward, John Scott hit Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson in the head with one of the dirtiest hits I have seen this season. It doesn't appear that the players are learning anything. Scott's teammate Patrick Kaleta is already serving a 10-game suspension for his dirty hit on Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson. That suspension was appealed by the Sabres and upheld by the NHL today.

In what is becoming a nightly thing, another night, another dirty hit. In my opinion, the NHL has no choice but to throw the book at this clown, this is unacceptable. According to Joe Haggerty, Eriksson is suffering from a concussion. Scott has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL pending a in-person disciplinary hearing.

There's no way that you can defend this hit.  Again, I am all for tough guys and for fighting in the NHL, but this guy is a clown that can barely skate and he's on the ice to hurt people. I want the NHL to throw the book at this P.O.S., he's a player that plays four to five minutes a game.

Claude Julien used the phrase "pretty severe" at one point when talking about the concussion Loui Eriksson suffered last night #BruinsTalk
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) October 24, 2013

#BruinsTalk Scott to meet with NHL's Shanahan over Eriksson hit ... By @HacksWithHaggs ... http://t.co/A5rSlJMqqI
— CSNNE.com (@CSNNE) October 24, 2013

Patrick Kaleta suspended pending hearing for this bush league hit

Buffalo Sabres puke Patrick Kaleta has been suspended by the National Hockey League's department of Player Safety, pending a hearing for this dirty hit on Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson. Kaleta is a repeat offender, having been suspended a couple of times, so I expect him to get at least a 2-3 game suspension for this hit.

From the NHL.COM --- At 3:10 of the first period, Kaleta collided with Columbus defenseman Jack Johnson near the boards just inside the Buffalo zone. No penalty was assessed for that hit, but Kaleta received a fighting major after engaging with the Blue Jackets' Jared Boll after the hit. Johnson remained in the game.

The following grounds are being considered for supplemental discipline: illegal check to the head. However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to the infraction upon review.

These are the kind of hits that are very dangerous, there's no excuse for these types of hits. Kaleta targeted Jack Johnson's head. This time, the "hockey code" worked the way it's supposed to. I applaud Jared Boll for sticking up for his teammate. You have these "rats" like Kaleta that skate up and down the ice throwing these dangerous hits and then they don't want to fight. In my opinion, Kaleta got what was coming to him. You want to stop these types of hits in hockey? Make the suspensions for hits like this 10-games. If suspension can taper Matt Cooke's dirty hits a few stiff suspensions can curb the behaviors of the other "rats" in the NHL.

Sabres Patrick Kaleta and Flyers Oliver Lauridsen fight

That was former Saint Cloud State Husky defenseman Oliver Lauridsen's first NHL fight, I suppose, he would have liked to have done beter. Nice to see that Lauridsen take on one of the biggest pukes in the NHL.

As you probably know, I don't hold Kaleta in very high regards, at all, he's a reckless players that has been suspended numerous times, by the NHL. Earlier this season, Kaleta was suspended for five games, without pay, for boarding New York Rangers forward Brad Richards

In March,  Kaleta was also called out by teammate All-World Goalie Ryan Miller, and told to grow up, Miller has since apologized.

I checked out Oliver Lauridsen's Hockey Fight's page and he did have a fight against former Fighting Sioux forward Darcy Zajac on 1-18-13. [click on the link for the video]

Related articles

• Patrick Kaleta gets five games for this cheap shot on Brad Richards (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

NHL Hockey; Leave Fighting alone for the sake of the game

They say that those that cover hockey, in most cases never actually played the game of hockey. Before you jump on me, hear me out… I mean seriously, every time I see one of these articles that question fighting’s role in the NHL and or in professional hockey, it sends up a big flag.

I ask you to think about it this way. I am sure you can picture a player from around the NHL from your least favorite team that has no honor, these are the Ulf Samuelssons, Matt Cookes, Raffi Tores and Patrick Kaleta’s or whoever, I am sure that you have one in mind, but you know the type of players that I am talking about, they're the type of players that I would like to see taken out of the game of hockey long before fighting was ever banned.

These are the players that when they get hit with a big check you feel no empathy for them what-so-ever as they lay on the ice writhing in pain. When Evander Kane knocked out Matt Cooke I stood in my living room cheering, actually chugged a beer in celebration, ex-post facto.

Imagine these clowns, skating around the ice unchecked to wreaking havoc on NHL players and star players without the fear of ever having to answer the bell for a dirty hit. They would be able to do their trade without the fear of retribution. That sets a bad precedence.

Chris Johnston, Sportsnet --- The message was clear: Let the debate happen elsewhere.

“I think you really have to understand the game and kind of understand the (dressing) room to know what it’s like to be on a bench when a guy fights,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said before the 4-2 victory over Toronto. “For fans that think that fighting has no part of the game, they don’t really know what they’re talking about.”

And that was that.

Marchand’s comments were consistent with the general line of thinking that can be found among both of these teams. They also highlight a pretty glaring paradox that exists within the sport.

Even though the fighting debate is always just one incident away from flaring up for fans and members of the media, the majority of players seem reluctant to even chew on the topic for a minute or two. They simply accept it — the good, the bad and (occasionally) the ugly.

I have seen all of the arguments for banning fighting from hockey and you can’t count on the refs and the department of player’s safety catch all of the offenders and in many cases they let the offenders go with little if any punishment.

Patrick Kaleta gets five games for this cheap shot on Brad Richards

I could have predicted that Brendan Shanahan and the Department of Player Safety was going to throw the book at Patrick Kaleta for this dirty hit on the Rangers forward Brad Richards. If I am not mistaken, this is the longest suspension in the NHL so far this year. Kaleta has now been suspended three times for a total of 11 games by the NHL, he's starting to develop quite a name for himself. Personally, I think he's a puke, a Matt Cooke or Raffi Torres type player.

NEW YORK -- Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta has been suspended for five games, without pay, for boarding New York Rangers forward Brad Richards during NHL Game No. 317 in New York on Sunday, March 3, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today.

Kaleta is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Based on his average annual salary, he will forfeit $76,219.25. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 3:28 of the third period. Kaleta was assessed a major penalty for checking from behind and game misconduct.

Milan Lucic works Patrick Kaleta like a speed bag

Nothing makes me happier than watching Boston Bruins tough Milan Lucic guy work over a rat like Patrick Kaleta.

Kaleta is one of those players that thinks he is pretty tough when he is out on the taking runs at other teams skilled players. I am actually surprised that Kaleta fought a guy like Milan Lucic.



At the end of the night Kaleta catches the ire of Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid. McQuaid  decided he had seen enough of Kaleta's on ice antics and absolutely clobbers the Sabres rat in the head with a monstrous right hand.

Related articles

• Lucic, McQuaid Beatdowns On Kaleta Provide Only Highlights Of B's 6-0 Loss (boston.cbslocal.com)
• Ty Anderson: Sabres torch Rask & B's in 6-0 gongshow (hockeybuzz.com)
• Bruins Vs. Sabres Score Update: B's Robbed Of Goal, Down 2-0 Through One (boston.sbnation.com)
• Bruins looks less threatening after getting trounced by the underdogs (theglobeandmail.com)
• GARTH: Punch The Bully In The Mouth (hockeybuzz.com)

Mike Richards elbow on Patrick Kaleta

I not sure what to make out of this call, if was a definitely an elbow to the head of Patrick Kaleta but I believe that Mike Richards was trying to protect himself from getting hit by Kaleta. Should Mike Richards be suspended for this hit? I don't know, it's different than some of the other hits we have seen during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Was the penalty 5, 10 and a game misconduct enough? That is what the NHL is going to have to decide.