NHL fails to punish intended head injury.

[Benz]

Here's the jist of it... Checking in hockey (not really intending to injure some one, just body to body slam, shoulder to shoulder or hip to hip, etc.) is ok. Deliberate attempts to injure are not. This asshole Cooke from the Penguins (who was suspended time and again for similar BS) came up behind Savard from the Bruins and elbowed him (I'll post video showing this) from behind to the back of his head causing a Grade 2 Concussion... Here's more from NESN:

 

Matt Cooke will not be suspended by the NHL for his hit to the head of Marc Savard, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.

 

The report, which came via Twitter, said that the Penguins have been informed by the league that their winger will not be disciplined in the form of a suspension.

 

"[Campbell] said it was a matter of consistency," McKenzie wrote. "No suspension for [Mike] Richards. No suspension for Cooke. ... [Campbell] said if this hit happens next season it is a suspension. And if it's a repeat offender like Cooke, the suspension will be stiffer again."

 

The hit has been the topic of much debate since it took place on Sunday afternoon. Since then, the GMs have unanimously agreed to change the language in the rule book on similar such hits, but it appears as though nothing in the current rules bans the blindsided shot to the head that Savard received, according to NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell.

 

The point of emphasis in watching the replay that was most under question was whether Cooke used his elbow to hit Savard. Replays were inconclusive, but Campbell announced on Monday that he and a committee saw no elbow.

 

NESN.com Bruins reporter James Murphy joined Vinnie Richichi and Ron Cook on their daily radio show on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh to discuss Matt Cooke’s hit on Marc Savard. Among the topics covered was what Murph expects to happen when the Penguins come to Boston on March 18.

 

“You obviously think the Bruins are going to want payback if Cooke’s in the lineup,” Murph said. “You would think that the NHL, even if they don’t think it warrants a five-game or six-game suspension, maybe they do it just to keep him out of the lineup and prevent mayhem on the ice there -- a brawl or … another [Todd] Bertuzzi on [steve] Moore incident.

 

“I know the Bruins. I’ve talked to players. They’re not happy at all, and I think some of them are regretting not paying revenge on the ice there when Cooke came on for his next shift. But they’re in the middle of a playoff race and they need the points. They can’t take the penalties there. So, it’ll be interesting. If he’s in the lineup, and let’s say the Bruins are out of the race or things aren’t looking good, that they’re not going to make the playoffs, he’s in a lot of trouble. If not, I don’t know. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens there. I know they want payback.”

 

Murph also talked about the problem of teams getting revenge by going after a star player who didn’t commit the dirty hit. He suggested that one way to solve this would be to get rid of the rule that demands an extra penalty for instigating a fight. That would allow a player to drop the gloves with the offender, in this case Cooke, right then and there without costing his team.

 

“My justice would be served with, instead of Michael Ryder having to just give him a little shove there after it happened, he’s able to drop the gloves there without getting a penalty. That takes care of business there. And I think once we got the instigator rule into this game, you’ve seen a lot more of these blind-side hits or hits from behind by players who do it a lot because they know they’re not going to have to pay the consequences.”

 

 

When the Penguins come to town on the 18th, it will be a game to watch. I'm not a violent person, but I'm hoping for a bench-clearing brawl to beat the bloody hell out of Cooke. Some other good quotes I've found...

 

The NHL decided to let Matt Cooke's disgusting blindside hit to Marc Savard's head slide based on consistency involving similar incidents.

 

See also: NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell failing to suspend Philadelphia's Mike Richards for a similar hit on Florida's David Booth.

 

TSN's Bob McKenzie writes, "No suspension for [Mike] Richards,[than there's] No suspension for Cooke. ... [NHL disciplinarian Campbell] said if this hit happens next season it is a suspension. And if it's a repeat offender like Cooke, the suspension will be stiffer again."

 

So until next year, let the high, dirty, late, cheap hits keep coming.

 

Let's take a look at what writers, bloggers, players and fans are saying about this:

 

"The Penguins play in Boston on March 18th, and barring injury it's likely Cooke will have to deal with thousands of jeering fans and a group of angry players. Of Cooke's three fights this season, two are against New York Rangers, including one on the night that Cooke hit Artem Anisimov. It seems likely on 3/18 that Cooke will have to answer the bell again, and perhaps in whatever small form, it'll be a chance for some small measure of vengeance."

--Hooks Orpik, from pensburgh.com

 

"It amounts to another stellar job executed by Campbell and his cronies in the NHL offices known for mystifying decisions and short-sighted tendencies. One just has to hope Campbell lucks out and avoids any more brain-damaged marquee players getting wheeled out of their arenas on a stretcher."

--CSNNE.com's Joe Haggerty's initial reaction on Twitter

 

Following the Puck Daddy excerpt below, fans jumped on the cook Cooke bandwagon:

 

"We disagreed at the time of the hit, and disagree now. The hit came after Savard had fired the puck on net and there was intent to injure on the part of Cooke, who doesn't get the benefit of the doubt as a repeat offender. Again: Richards hit Booth after Booth made a backhand pass while skating at Richards; Cooke hit Savard after Savard shot the puck. Cooke earned himself another suspension in our eyes, but obviously not those of the NHL. The situation will be rectified in 2010-11, but try to telling that to Marc Savard. No, seriously, try to: He'll nod off in the middle of the word 'rectified' thanks to Cooke."

--Yahoo.com's Puck Daddy

 

"Penguins are in Boston next Thursday. I have to say with the NHL being this big a joke, I hope there's some vigilante justice to make up for the crooked IDIOTS that refuse to discipline a Penguin. Hopefully someone 'Bertuzzi's' Cooke and then someone else takes out the pouty little golden boy while they're at it. I am so sick and tired of this crap. Colon (he acts like it, I'll spell it like it) Campbell and Gary Buttman are the worst two things that have EVER happened to sports. F this new NHL and all the crooked BS that comes with it."

--Nahlsy

[Benz]

Tonight's game was won by the Bruins over Carolina Hurricanes 5 - 2. They're still in the playoffs but barely. On Thursday, when the Penguins come to town I think the Bruins will serve up a good plate of justice to Cooke. They'll just be careful how they do it because if they lose the game it could be over for them for the playoffs. It will be an interesting game never-the-less, if anyone wants to see it it will be on Thursday, March 18th at 7pm on NESN. If you don't get it on cable or satellite, you can ask to see it at a sports bar, ask them to put on the Bruins game or NESN channel.

 

...or if Aarty and I are the only ones watching, that's ok too, I'll post clips after they come up.

[Benz]

Live bloggings:

 

First 2 Minutes of the game, already a fight with Cooke, getting his sorry ass kicked!! GO BRUINS!!!

[Benz]

7:06 left and Cooke tripped a player that checked him with his stick resulting in Boston getting a power play.

[Benz]

Here's the first fight:

 

[Benz]

A second fight against Captain Chara in the Second period. Eh, it's not quite what I really thought would happen. Kinda disappointing. They're also not playing well, down 2 goals after the second period. They and the crowd should be more energetic... I hope it picks up in the third...

[Benz]

Here's the second fight of the night: (not very good quality...)

 

[Benz]

And the game ends with the Penguins winning 3-0. What a disappointment. Only about the first 10 minutes of the game were good, then it all went downhill from there. Once again, the Bruins were mostly asleep and zombie like. They need to start drinking Red Bull or something. When they have energy and put heart into the game and give it %100 they win, but other than that they're mediocre at best...