Quick Game One Thoughts

by Dirk Hoag on Apr 10, 2008 9:49 PM EDT

The Red Wings certainly dominated the scoring opportunities, but the Predators held strong and had every chance to win the game in the 3rd. I'll leave it to sharper eyes to determine whether the go-ahead goal for Detroit should have been whistled offsides, the crappy non-HD feed on FSN didn't give a clear view. Dan Ellis looked very sharp in net, and Jason Arnott in particular looked pretty quick on his skates. I'll follow up with detailed analysis tomorrow morning.

More interesting will be to see if anything comes out of Niklas Kronwall's hit on Rich Peverley in the 3rd. As Peverley cleared the puck out the zone, Kronwall pinched in and committed the three sins which supposedly bring a suspension from the league office:

1) He left his feet
2) He nailed Peverley in the head
3) He used his elbow

Now, since Peverley got right back up and joined the play, I'm guessing nothing's going to come out of this. The NHL head office has shown a horrible propensity to hand out penalties based on the extent of injury to the victim, not the action of the perpetrator.

All the same, if I'm Barry Trotz, I'm lobbying hard for a suspension. This is the playoffs, and you've got to use whatever options are available.

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Sorry, but it was Kronwall's shoulder that delivered the hit and that was borne out by repeated replays, especially the one from the camera in the corner. The elbowing penalty was the wrong call, so that shouldn't be the reference point.

The hit was analogous to the Stevens check on Kariya in the 2003 Finals. A suspension, in this case, is undeserved. I'd be all for it if Kronwall's elbow delivered the hit, believe me.

By the way, if you want to talk about players leaving their feet, I can cite at least two separate instances where Predators did the same thing and got away with it:

Smithson's hit on Draper at 19:19 of the first. It was a clear case of charging.

Tootoo's hit on Holmstrom in the early goings of the third period along the boards near the bench in the Detroit end.

by Matt Saler on Apr 10, 2008 11:17 PM EDT reply actions

After seeing replays, I agree the elbow wasn't a factor. I did find the four criteria that are supposed to be a factor in a possible suspension:

1. When a player targets an opponent's head.

2. When a player launches himself by leaving his feet to hit a player on or near the head.

3. When the hit to the head is delivered to an unsuspecting opponent.

4. The timing (lateness) of a hit.

I think #1 and 2 are obviously in play here, while 3 and 4 are not. I don't think it was the worst hit in the world, but definitely worth a one-game suspension. It won't happen, however, because Peverley got up right away and didn't play dead like the Sharks did in the playoffs last year.

by The Forechecker on Apr 11, 2008 11:23 AM EDT reply actions

I don't know if I completely agree with you description of the Krowall hit, but I do think Preds fans could quite legitimately complain that the game winning goal came about because of skate-on-skate clip that created the 2 on 1 advantage. It could have been called a trip or pick. When it happened live I was waiting to hear a whistle that never came. So refs would have called others would not.

by The Falconer on Apr 12, 2008 7:13 PM EDT reply actions