Ripcat Ripcat:
There was a hit there??? A cross-check even????
Looks like Downie jumped head first into the boards.....
That's exactly what it looks like - he got pushed by Laraque, but there was no hit.
In no way am I condoning what Laraque did - Downie was in a relatively vulnerable position and shouldn't have even touched him. If Kovalchuck is any comparison, Laraque might get 1 game.
BUT - how does this push any different than the ones we see all the time when 2 guys are skating as fast as they can to try to get to the puck first to beat the icing? The players push each other, both of them in a very vulnerable position and it doesn't take much for what happened last night to happen during a touch-icing (I hate that stupid rule!). Anyway...
$1:
Yea, that was a pretty vicious hit,
I disagree - vicious is Downie on McAmmond, Domi on Neidermayer, Hunter on Turgeon, Pronger on too-many-to-count!! This was a very sloppy play by Laraque, who took it on someone who wasn't in the greatest of position... And he deserved to get a game misconduct..