171 replies to this topic

[Harv]

[shoeshine boy]

the look in his eyes while he was on the stretcher REALLY concerned me. he looked scared. I did hear that he would be flying back to Pittsburgh with the team though so hopefully that's a good sign.

a little shocked that Thornton would do something so unbelievably stupid. he may be an enforcer but he's not THAT kind of player.

[Fielder07]

Yeah, Thornton was pretty disgusted in himself and remorseful in the post game interview. He generally prides himself in playing by the code and admitted he crossed the line and made a huge mistake. Hopefully Orpik is alright.

[Dupes]

Thornton lost it.

Unfortunately for him, this is not acceptable and I hope he will receive a very very long suspension.

 

Thread split, this deserves his own discussion,

[Dupes]

The video

 

[KidCoyote]

Not trying to denounce the severity of what Thornton did but it really doesn't look like he gets him that good... He still has his glove on and almost palms him in the face a couple times rather than punches.

[Steelnation248]

I didn't watch the game but I've seen a few highlights and it looks like it was quite the shit show. Orpiks hit on Eriksson looked like was interference. Neal's knee on Marchand was brutal and he should get a hefty penalty. As should Thornton. It didn't look like he hit Orpik too hard from the angles I saw but it looks like Orpik got knocked out. The last two incidents don't belong in the game.

[dimitrym91]

The thing with neals is that it is hard to say he did that on purpose, don't get me wrong, he did it on purpose but saying that definitively is going to be hard for the NHL as technically all neal did was accidentally skate into marchand, not that I think neal didn't know what he was doing, cause he 120% did, but can the NHL say that for sure? I'm sure they could find a way to suspend him for a reckless play or something, same as you get a penalty for not controlling your stick even by accident on a high stick, something similar for neal would apply I think, just not sure what rule it would fall under

 

The thornton one, there isn't any doubt

[Steelnation248]

Knee extended, turned into Marchand. No doubt here too.

 

[dimitrym91]

Watching it a few times ya it looks worse then I thought, easily attempt to injure

[shoeshine boy]

sorry but I don't see that as an extended knee at all. I DO think that Neal did that on purpose though. the giveaway is that after he hits him he never looks back to see what he hit.

Neal will probably get 1 game because under the NHL's rules he's not considered a repeat offender AND Marchand is well known as the biggest diver in the league.

 

Thornton has never been suspended before because let's face it, he's not that kind of player but by grabbing Orpik from behind the way he did he's verging on Bertuzzi territory.

[JTully317]

I wouldn't say biggest diver by any means...
Thornton is definitely not that type of player at all as stated, and he apparently was expressing a great deal or remorse and disgust in his actions during the post-game media. I was working so have not seen these clips yet to say 100%. Very ugly on both ends.

[skleiner1]

Not to be insensitive in anyway (and I HATE Marchand) but I thought Neal on Marchand was pretty fucking bad and just as dirty. Who kicks/knees someone in the head like what the fuck come on you can't dive into a knee to the head you know... The guy who did that in the OHL got a life time ban just to make reference to how not acceptable it is.

 

No doubt that Thorton shouldn't have punched him when he was on the ground or pulled him away for that matter... But for sure Orpik said something when he got pulled down. Thorton isn't dirty like that and Pens fans are blowing up over it forgetting that caused it in the first place...

 

He'll get a long suspension (which I don't really know how I feel about) and Neal will get a little slap on the wrist. I think they're both pretty equal... Am I wrong?

[Harv]

 I think they're both pretty equal... Am I wrong?

One player skated the next shift.. the other player was unconscious and taken to the hospital. 

[skleiner1]

Oh totally but what if it was the other way around? 

 

I was just talking about the act alone, not what happened after... Breaking down kicking vs a punch in the face on the ground. I think those are equally just as awful

[thinkingjack]

The two dirtiest teams going at it. 

James Neal guides his knee on purpose to marchand's face, shocking to see neal do this shit….over and over and over and over, actually i haven't been shocked since the shit cheap shot he did to a Coyotes player and hasn't stopped. But no suspensions because he works with the leagues best asset. Crosby.
HOWEVER, it is kind of a poetic justice for Marchand being the recipient.

 

I Feel bad for Thornton  who has never been suspended in his career and has been a pretty good player about his discipline.  He lost his shit because one of their star players got hit on what easily should have been called AT LEAST interference.  Orpik could have avoided this by fighting him.  Everyone talks about Orpik would have been fighting out of his class… he's 6'2" 220 lbs, so is shawn thornton.  But Orpik is only tough when he's pushing around smaller players.

Sadly Thornton will get like 10 games and Neal will be defended by the team what defended Matt Cooke so vehemently so he will most likely get a 400 dollar fine paid by the team.

[wbj]

Oh totally but what if it was the other way around? 

 

I was just talking about the act alone, not what happened after... Breaking down kicking vs a punch in the face on the ground. I think those are equally just as awful

 

Agreed. The Neal shot was every bit as cheap as what Thornton did. Not sure where the outcry is about that....

[iceman8310]

Neal knee to head dirty and orpik elbow to head dirty. What Thornton did wasn't right but what the penguins did wasn't right either. The fanboys need to watch the game

Orpik violated the code. What about cookes elbow on savard? I know its years ago but the penguins are one of the dirtiest teams in the league. The bruins one of the cleanest.

[Steelnation248]

^ oh boy...Here we go.

[iceman8310]

^ oh boy...Here we go.

What's the problem? Just sharing my opinion as you did.