171 replies to this topic

[mersss]

Why the fuck would Orpik HAVE to fight a 4th liner with no talent like Thornton when he's one of the best Deffensive d-man on the Penguins roster?

 

Eriksson touched the puck and let it go because he knew he was going to get hit. When you place yourself in a position like that one, you have to know you're gonna get hit.

 

As for Neal's hit on Marchand. It wasn't clean, but I would have done the exact same to that little rat. Marchand is one of the dirtier player in the league, while diving like Alexandre Despaties on the ice like a boss! 

[Fielder07]

I love all you guys crying foul for what Thornton did to Orpik (rightfully so, because it was wrong), but in the next breath saying anything goes when it's against Marchand because "he's a rat" and "it's karma".  They're all cheap shots regardless of the player.  Try voicing an objective opinion.  Neal was wrong and Thornton was wrong.

[JTully317]

Why the fuck would Orpik HAVE to fight a 4th liner with no talent like Thornton when he's one of the best Deffensive d-man on the Penguins roster?

I don't think Orpik's hit was dirty, it was clean but Eriksson was just not ready for it, it's part of the game. Big clean hits happen. However, Thornton is not a no-talent 4th-liner as most goons that play are. He can score and play a good game and as stated does not play dirty (besides last night's actions). Neal should have been targeted by someone, whether it be Thornton or someone else, not Orpik, and not in the manner that things transpired last night.

[Grammer]

Neal was wrong, it was shitty and at least a little dangerous and certainly classless. But that doesn't mean Marchand doesn't deserve it. You're a Bruins fan. Are you telling me that you didn't love it when this happened:

 

[Mincy]

That was a very chippy game no doubt about it. Both teams wanted to win and emotions were running high. Neither incident should have happened, they were both dirty plays. Unfortunately both the Pens and the B's had a physical strategy that dictated the outcome of the game. Did both teams take it a little too far? IMO, yes, they did. James Neal should face punishment, but that's up to Shanny to sort out. Obviously Thornton will get suspended. I am willing to bet he won't do this again. Like I said it was the tempo of the game that resulted in a Bruins victory. I hate it for Pittsburgh because I do think Orpik is their best defenceman. Hope he is back soon.

[JTully317]

Yes, I am a Bruins fan, but that shouldn't make anyone happy. Again, another classless act. An actual fight or big hit would have been much better. I hate Ulf Samuelson just as much as anyone for basically ending Neely's career, however nobody should be happy to see a play that ugly. Just makes hockey look bad. Nobody deserves to be sucker-punched or blind-sided. Things like that can end someone's career.

[Grammer]

See, for me, I loved it when Domi KOd Sammy there. And I'd love it if someone did the same exact thing to Marchand. Players like that are what hurt the game. And if their careers get ended as a result, tant mieux!

[NovaHands]

I'd love to get the glasses that so many Bruins fans seem to watch hockey through. It must be a whole different world where Jack Edwards is God. 

 

Thornton did bad, he knows it, he's sorry, that doesn't excuse it. However, he's one of the toughest guys in the league, he can play, he plays a hard hitting old school game and he's never been suspended before. I think four to six is fair.

 

Neal gave Marchy a little tap to the side of the head while he GLIDED by. Certainly he changed course, certainly it was deliberate. But 10 games? Not a chance it deserves that. When anything happens to Marchand I get a little bounce in my step. As Don Cherry says, you live by the sword and you die by the sword. There's no dirtier piece of shit player in the league this side of Patrick Kaleta. Anything Marchand get, he deserves on karma alone. 

 

Orpik's hit on Eriksson was clean as a whistle. Erikson touched the puck, but even if he didn't, Orpik has to play it like Eriksson's gonna take possession. The pass was made to him. Orpik has the right to step up. And he can't be reasonably expected to change his route if Eriksson misses the pass that was made to him or decides to bail on the puck. 

 

Ultimately, Neal won't be suspended, and Thornton should get four or so. Might get six or seven because the league is so fucking reactionary when there are stretchers involved. 

 

A tap?  Marchand rotated 180 degrees on the ice from that "tap."

[Grammer]

It's ice. Ice is slippery. Neal wasn't going fast at all. AND Marchand wasn't hurt on the play - though he did lay on the ice as if he'd been shot. Classic.

[skleiner1]

I don't really care about either team sooo I just take out the players and aftermath and just look at both acts alone...

 

A knee to the head no matter how slow is still a knee to the head and belongs no where in hockey... This kid got banned for kicking this guy in the head and was just gliding in too, further proving that it's probably one of the dirtiest things to do in hockey or any sport for that matter...  

 

Getting pulled from behind without knowing and suckered in the face is fucking awful too and has no place. Both plays were dirty IMO. The difference of a ban should only be a few games but let's be serious Neal will get a slap on the wrist. Both teams are to blame

[shoeshine boy]

Thornton's was after the whistle on an unsuspecting Orpik. that alone makes him worthy of the "in-person hearing" suspension. Neal's was bad and definitely stupid but my prediction is 1 game for him, maybe 2. I'd like to see another angle, maybe from the side because I find it hard to believe that if Marchand was hit that hard he would be able to keep playing.

[Kovey10]

Neal is the one who deserved to be carried off on a stretcher.

[skleiner1]

Marchand wasn't expecting to get kneed in the head either though? They were both unsuspecting

 

Players do play through a lot (broken ribs, pierced lungs etc) I'm sure he's fine lol but as far as I see it's still a knee to the head which is unacceptable. 

 

Both are just 

[Kovey10]

I feel a knee to the head is worse than getting punched lol

[wbj]

I feel a knee to the head is worse than getting punched lol

 

I'm not going to say one is worse than the other, but I will say that the people acting like the knee isn't a big deal are clueless

[Hab4life]

Thornton slew footing the guy then pounding him when he's down is total bullshit, I think we all know that.

 

Neal is a puke, total knee to the head on purpose, too bad is was the little rat Marchand, cause if it was an old schooler like a Wayne Cashman that Neal prick would be the one unconscious, and it would have been as soon as Cashman got up off the ice. Neal would have been lucky to see for the rest off the season after a cheap shot like that, back then those guys took care of their own shit because they were just a bunch of grown men who still had some morals and savvy about them. Nowadays you have these little wimps out there with no balls when it comes to defending themselves against cheap shots like a knee to the head, they want the lone tough guy on their team to do it for them, fuckin pussy's.

 

I guess all I'm saying is that Marchand should have been out there dropping the gloves immediately with Neal for what he did, even if he gets the shit end of the stick.

[Xtra]

Ultimately, Neal won't be suspended, and Thornton should get four or so. Might get six or seven because the league is so fucking reactionary when there are stretchers involved. 

 

Reactionary? More like inconsistent  .

[iceman8310]

Neal is the one who deserved to be carried off on a stretcher.

I will be cheering when crosby is taken out on a stretcher.

Also for the ones that complain about wishing harm on another player don't be a hypocrite

[ken6473]

Let's look at the suspension histories of both teams:
 

 

2013-2014 Bruins: Shawn Thornton: Pending

2013-2014 Pens: James Neal: Pending

 

2013 Bruins: Andrew Ference: May 2, 1 game suspension

2013 Pens: N/A

 

2011-2012 Bruins: Andrew Ference, January 22, 3 game suspension

                              Brad Marchand, January 9, 5 game suspension

                              Milan Lucic, December 19, 1 game suspension

2011-2012 Pens:  Arron Asham, April 17, 4 game suspension

                             James Neal, April 17, 1 game suspension

                             Craig Adams, April 16, 1 game suspension

                             Deryk Engelland, December 22, 3 game suspension

                             Kris Letang, October 11, 2 game suspension

 

2010-2011 Bruins: 6 total games in suspensions

2010-2011 Pens: 24 total games in suspensions, plus the first round of the playoffs

 

2009-2010 Bruins: N/A

2009-2010 Pens: 2 total games in suspension

 

Based on suspension numbers alone, a Pittsburgh player has been suspended 37 games since the 2009-2010 season. In the same time span, a Boston player has been suspended 16 games.

 

It's pretty difficult to say that they're one of the cleanest in the league. Pittsburgh is certainly one of the dirtiest based on the suspension numbers alone. But Boston still has a high number of suspensions as well. Not many teams have double digits in suspended games.

 

[iceman8310]

That statement right there makes me laugh. Let's look at the suspension histories of both teams:

 

2013-2014 Bruins: Shawn Thornton: Pending

2013-2014 Pens: James Neal: Pending

 

2013 Bruins: Andrew Ference: May 2, 1 game suspension

2013 Pens: N/A

 

2011-2012 Bruins: Andrew Ference, January 22, 2 game suspension

James Neal suspended for game 4 of flyers series in 2012. 

Arron Asham Suspended 4 games during playoffs

 

Oct. 18, 2011 Kris Letang Pittsburgh Boarding 2 games

 

Dec. 22, 2011 Deryk Engelland Pittsburgh Illegal hit to the head 3 games

 

Apr. 16, 2012 Craig Adams Pittsburgh Instigator penalty in the
last 5 minutes 1 playoff game

 

 

 

 

Matt Cooke