What's with this years play-offs? Now it is the Caps vs Bruins

[pilldoc]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/7823958/2012-stanley-cup-playoffs-washington-capitals-dale-hunter-says-boston-bruins-going-nicklas-backstrom-head

This has certainly been a very entertaining playoffs so far. So seriously what is up with all the rough stuff? I mean we all the playoffs are intense and the emotionals are cranked up, but this year it just seems like this suff is happening all over.

1. Flyers vs Pens (we all know about this stuff)

2. Nash. vs Detroit (the Shea Weber hit)

3. Phx vs Chi. (Shaw gets 3 games)

4. Van. vs LA (Sedin gets blasted with a hit)

5. Boston vs Wash (Backstrom faces hearing with his cross-check)

6. Blues vs. SJ (Pretty nasty stuff in that series)

7. Rangers vs Sens.(Hagelin gets 3 games for elbow to Alfredsson)

That is 7 out 8 matchups with alot of rough stuff going on. Only the Devils/Panthers series appears to be quiet on that front.

So what is up with this years playoffs? Is it jsut me, but it seems like alot more rough stuff going on. I remember in years past teams tried to stay away from that stuff. Thoughts?

[flyercanuck]

Bruins won the cup last year playing on the edge and over. Success breeds imitation.

[AndyS]

Well, if you're only going to give Weber a $2,500 fine for slamming Zetterberg's head into the glass, that pretty much tells you to go ahead & do your worst.

[AndyS]

. . .and the TV ratings for game #3 of the Flyers & Pens were through the roof.

That meams more $ for the NHL.

. . .and that means that we should expect to see that trend continue.

[TedZep]

Bruins won the cup last year playing on the edge and over. Success breeds imitation

Not everyone has their Daddy as the league disciplinarian.

[HansonBros17]

Add this to that list: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/video-_raffi_torres_hit_on_marian_hossa/

Just happened, this is the only decent video I could find... Raffi Torres launches himself into Marian Hossa driving his shoulder into Hossa's jaw.

Hossa leaves on a stretcher.

There was no penalty called.

[JackStraw]

Add this to that list: http://www.kuklaskor...n_marian_hossa/

Just happened, this is the only decent video I could find... Raffi Torres launches himself into Marian Hossa driving his shoulder into Hossa's jaw.

Hossa leaves on a stretcher.

There was no penalty called.

Torres is gone. Video from TSN (not quite as homerish as the other): http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip660960#clip660960

[terp]

This will remind all of you of a pending supplemental discipline matter:

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=35&id=173123

Raffi Torres is a criminal. He does this at least once a year (injures someone with a blatantly illegal hit) and they need to throw the book at him. So glad he doesn't play here.

[JackStraw]

This will remind all of you of a pending supplemental discipline matter:

http://video.nhl.com...id=35&id=173123

Raffi Torres is a criminal. He does this at least once a year (injures someone with a blatantly illegal hit) and they need to throw the book at him. So glad he doesn't play here.

Torres is on the verge of becoming the new Matt Cooke.

[AJgoal]

On the verge? I think he's out-cooked Cooke. He needs to be McSorleyed.

[HansonBros17]

@ JackStraw

Torres is gone. Video from TSN (not quite as homerish as the other): http://watch.tsn.ca/...0960#clip660960

I love the comment by the Coyotes color guy when he gets to see it again in slow-mo: "...and that's as clean a hit as you're gonna get!"

[five6four]

bad hit by torres, but other than the resulting injury, how is torres hit any different than neal's on couturier? except for neal's hit being later, and farther away from the actual play?

[terp]

bad hit by torres, but other than the resulting injury, how is torres hit any different than neal's on couturier? except for neal's hit being later, and farther away from the actual play?

I just wrote on another thread that they are very, very similar plays. Torres' hit was more of a bang bang play, but he leaves his feet, checks an unsuspecting player without the puck and gets his opponent''s head. As you point out, Hossa didn't get up and that is a big factor, even though it shouldn't be. Neal had more time to think about what he was doing, also left his feet to check an unsuspecting player without the puck but missed Couturier's head. Couturier was very lucky he didn't end up on a stretcher.

Torres has been suspended twice before and will probably get 3 or more. It appears Neal got nothing for his hit on Couturier. Where's the logic? While we're at it, where's the logic in Carkner getting one game?

[five6four]

the 'logic' was that he was 'jumping to brace himself for an unsuspected collision.' shanny 'bought' it, and he only got his 1 game for the giroux hit (probably the right call for that hit)

Edited April 18, 2012 by five6four

[BearOnIce]

. . .and the TV ratings for game #3 of the Flyers & Pens were through the roof.

That meams more $ for the NHL.

. . .and that means that we should expect to see that trend continue.

Like tonight. Right from the start. Set the tone. It's our building. Nuff said..