Why Were The Tv Braino's Calling Stevens Hit

[NJDevsRock]

Stevens in my opinion is a coward.  He goes out of his way to injure people.  And don't give me the crap that the guy had his head down.  You have to draw the line somewhere.  How big is Paul Karyia?

Since the rest of your post has been addressed, I will just respond to this tiny bit. Since when is size a factor in who hits whom? Does that mean that just about no one should be able to hit Gionta? Why is this even such a big deal. He came back and scored a goal. Gimme a break, that's all I'm gonna say.

[LIDevsFan1]

Here's the thing about the hit---they needed it when it was 0-0 or 1-0, the game was pretty much decided by then so I clean or not I didn't think it was a factor either way.

[puck]

The puck was not with the player so it could have been calld interference but that would not have been the firdt thing to come to my mind after seeing it.

Always Biased Coverage

[gobolt7]

Heres the deal on the hit. By rule, until the puck gets to the player that Karyia is passing to, he is still considered the puck carrier, regardless of wether he has the puck or not. It may have been interference, it may not have been. Until the puck left the screen, on the angle we got, there is no conclusive proof that anyone else touched the puck.

[Pepperkorn]

This is the problem with the NHL of today.  They have that stupid instigator rule which takes away any fear of Stevens facing retribution.  Had he thrown a hit like that in the 80's his ass would have been handed to him by a McSorely/Dave Brown type the very next shift.

Stevens in my opinion is a coward.  He goes out of his way to injure people.  And don't give me the crap that the guy had his head down.  You have to draw the line somewhere.  How big is Paul Karyia?  Stevens is a coward.  Stevens already effectively ended one of the NHL's most marketable stars career when he knocked Lindros useless, now he tries to kill another star.  The league needs to protect it's stars.  Like I said before the NHL was so much better off when the players policed themselves.  Do you really think Stevens would be doing that if he knew the next shift he was going to have the crap beat out of him?  Why do you think Gretzky was NEVER run like that?  Because anyone who tried knew they would have to face McSorely.

Stevens would kick their asses as best he could and not be afraid of it...in my opion you're fvcking no brained Philthy Phailure fan so next time the Flyers make it out of the second round we'll talk. sh!tferbrains <_<

ok I'm slightly calmer -- consider the minor outburst up above as a compliment. Perhaps you played D but I'm betting you were a hard hitting type. You know why is it I fvcking get this and you Mr. hockey playing Dman canm't??? It's a feel thing. The way it works is you do throw caution to the wind a slight bit. Yousee the chnace and you commit to it... you're gonna be a sh!t hitter if you actually CAN pull up the secind someone lets go of the puck -- you know BULLsh!t -- you never played hockey -- if you did obviously wern't very good at it.

See you've got me all fvcking mad again. So what's your take on Roenick? Because I have defended him in the past as well just in case you think this is some girly Stevens thing -- why am I even getting mad... I dispair of you....

[Rock]

Here's the applicable rule from the rulebook:

(NOTE 3) Possession of the Puck:

The last player to touch the puck, other than the goalkeeper, shall be considered the player in possession. The player deemed in possession of the puck may be checked legally, provided the check is rendered immediately following his loss of possession.

This is hockey 101. Babcock is using the incident to give his team an edge(Not that I blame him, hopefully the Refs won't be influenced by it.)

[sheeps]

One more comment, in general:

Should we actually believe that Ducks fans understand the rule?

To EZ:

I think Brashear and McCarthy would stand up to him. I agree, the instigator rule is a joke and I believe it should be taken out. However, there are ways to get around it, especially with players that won't turn down a fight. I don't think Brashear would turn down a Stevens fight by any means, he never turns down a McKenzie fight.

I think the role of enforcer has changed and I don't necessarily mind. Now you have guys that play more than five minutes or besides just when or after their star is on the ice. Now guys like McKenzie are trying to score (in his case, failing) and play smart defense.

I think the big thing is that fighting is so diminished that big hitting is replacing it. I, for one, am a fan of big hits. I will tell you that the entire room went silent last night, all Devils fans, and the first thing we said was, "I hope he's OK." Next thing we said, "I hope it was clean." They show the replay, it's clean, they show him getting up practically on his own -- make no mistake about it, we were relieved. Stevens and Devils fans do not root for injury. The Lindros hit was because he had his head down -- his head would not smack the ice like that if his head were up. Once again, entirely different stuff.

Anyways, I'm rambling. We're definitely not the Euro-NHL yet, and I hope we never get there. I think every true hockey fan hates Buttman. Practically every fan here also agrees about the instigator. I think we just disagree on how we argue it.

[StarDew]

Oh pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez EZ...you are spewing all that friggin Fryer orange over here...Lindros was a melon head the day he was born...runs in the family...ask Brett...and as far as Stevens goes...if he was a Fryer you guys would have a friggin statue of him on Broad St...Shultz was a goon....Broad Street Bullies...bullies are cheap, inscure wimps who need to pick on folks smaller than themselves so then can feel like they have control of something....bitch and moan all you want...Stevens will be a Hall of Famer whether you like it or not...Erica will always be a melon head and probably will have his career end from a slight tap while putting on a baseball cap...that lil opening in his skull never closed...it is still open...he still has that soft spot...ya bitched about Erica when he was a Fryer now ya stand up for him...take yer librium...we have enough bi-polar cases here

btw...McCarthy and Brashear are spineless and brainless...their brains shriveled to the size of a pea and rolled out their thick skulls decades ago

[Eztarget]

Mature response by some (Mrsheeps), totally childish 1st grade level responses by others (Stardew, and Pepperkorn). Note to Pepperkorn: Try spell check it's really neat.

Regardless of which team I root for, Stevens would have had his arse kicked if he tried this crap in the earlier part of his career. How many guys did he knock unconscious prior to the last couple of years?

And 4 elbowing penalties? Come on well all watch hockey and know exactly HOW MANY calls AREN'T made.

[brylin18]

you are aware that, in his younger days, stevens racked up numerous 150+ PIM seasons (one 290+ season)? don't act like stevens has never known how to fight.

[StarDew]

You know about as much of Stevens career as you have space in one joint of your pinky...go back and read, if you can comprehend, and you will find he has been throwing hits since he was a youngun...Caps...Blues...you will have to try harder to throw insults here...unlike Erica we are bulletproof...as for elbows, you know zip about em except that you can rest on em...spare us

When someone has attacked your spelling you know you have won...ask TOESAVE

[BlueSkirt]

"A great hit," said Stevens, who will tie Patrick Roy with a record 12th Game 7 appearance.

[CHICO IS GOD]

Isn't this his 13th? I thought Ottawa was his 12th because he was 6-6 in game 7's after that game.

[CHICO IS GOD]

And 4 elbowing penalties? Come on well all watch hockey and know exactly HOW MANY calls AREN'T made.

He's played 21 years, how many calls can be friggin missed. Refs suck but that's 21 years-worth of hits

[Eztarget]

My problem is more with the NHL allowing players to hit other players in the head whether it be a "legal" shoulder or not. The NFL realized long ago that it could NOT allow it's stars to be hit in the head whether they had the ball OR JUST released the ball. There's a reason the NFL is successful and the NHL is a laughing stock on all the major TV networks. You know how low rated this SCF is? Not very high.

Hits like the ones Stevens and others deal out that result in contact to the head whether it be with an elbow shoulder, foot, whatever should NOT be tolerated by the league. How many more stars need to be knocked out of the game before they will learn this. And don't argue "he had his head down". The NFL still holds players responsible for their hits no matter what position the player is in. I've played defense in ice hockey for years and am about 6'2" 200 lbs. Over the years I could creamed unsuspecting guys but didn't. You can still affectively hit a guy and get the same result of stopping him without destroying him like Stevens tries to do.

Unfortunately the idiots that are currently running the NHL haven't been able to do anything but expand the league to the point that it's not even exciting to watch 99% of the time.

[sundstrom]

Why not just call it figure skating. The answer is to have proper equipment and play the right way. Kariya got creamed, and got up. That was because of the helmet he was wearing. Lindros-jerk was wearing a doiley on his head and then crumpled and hit the ice making it that much worse. Legal hits are legal hits.

[Zamode]

Bullsh!t EZ. Stevens is not a coward and his elbow was down, it was clean. Does Kariya have to be protected because he's a small figure skater?

McSorely?! Please....nice try, though.

[LizDevil30]

If you can't take the hits, stay off the ice.

LETS GO DEVILS! ONE MORE WIN!

[MantaRay]

JD and Clement are morons. They retracked their statement later in the show.

[Sarge18]

Over the years I could creamed unsuspecting guys but didn't. You can still affectively hit a guy and get the same result of stopping him without destroying him like Stevens tries to do.

Personally, as a player I feel if someone is stupid enough to admite their pass or keep their head down coming across any part of the ice, them getting creamed is just a matter of time. Its stupid and its one of the first things a good coach will tell his players NOT to do. Part of being a player is being aware of your surroundings, and not putting yourself into a position where someone can clean your clock.

That said. Sure you can still hit someone and effectively take them out of the play with letting up and giving them a bump. But especially this time of year i dont think anyone will. The stakes are too high. And yes Stevens didnt need to hit him that hard to take Kariya out of that play. At the same time it sends a message to your team and the opposing team. You never let up on anyone ever. Kariya was stupid to have his head down, and unfortunately payed a price for it. Stevens not letting up sends an unsaid message to everyone and sets a tone for the game. It tells Kariya and every other Duck who cares to cross that blue line that your entering enemry territory, and we dont take prisoners. Its the way the game is and has been played, despite Bettman's (aka buttmuch) best efforts to wussify the game.

The instigator rule has to go, there are very few hockey fans that will disagree with that. I think it is one of the dumbest things ever done to our beloved game. It takes all accountability out of a players actions because no one has to pay the piper anymore.

[Eztarget]

Go here and look at this guys breakdown. (you have to scroll down the post to the part with the pictures)...

Stevens had his one hand off his stick (if he doesn't lead with his elbow, then why let go of his stick)?

Karyia had already let go of the puck and taken one stride, then Stevens elbow clearly hits Karyia's head.

Sorry cheap shot!

[Zamode]

Nope. Sour grapes from Phailure fans.

[Sarge18]

That is a terrible camera angle. Especially if you are trying to prove it was an elbow. How can you faily say that it was an elbow when as you can see is kariya's head?

[NJayDevil]

Shoulder to head. Sorry guys, that's the way it was.

Late my fvcking ass btw.

[Triumph]

Eztarget, you discredit any point you have by saying it was an elbow.

Fine, hits to the head should not be allowed in the NHL, justifiable position. The absolute consensus on the Kariya hit is that it was not an elbow. There has been no one who has come out and called it an elbow. If you want to develop some second gunman theory, knock yourself out. Meanwhile Stevens will continue to knock guys out and do it legally, until the NHL does something about it.

And get that thug Brian Dawkins off the Eagles.