Went fishing for comments tonight on Chris Simon's two-hander to
Ryan Hollweg's face in the Islanders-Rangers tilt the other night, and landed a few both solicited and otherwise.
Mike Franke had the most interesting insight. He pointed out that as brutal as Simon's action was, it would never have happened had the referee not swallowed his whistle on the preceding play, when Hollweg checked Simon from behind, driving him headfirst into the glass.
Hollweg should have gotten at least two for that. But there was no call, Simon saw red, and shortly thereafter he was swinging his stick like Paul Bunyan's axe at Hollweg's head.
Taking the law into your own hands: It never ends pretty, does it?
-- Ben Smith
Hallweg boarded him from behind. No question. While I'm not excusing the actions of Simon, people are comparing it to Bertuzzi and McSorley.
No.
Simon's hit was a REACTION to a current play. Instantaneous. In the others, the offenders took several strides to hit their victims.
Totally different.
A suspension, yes. A year, no way.
Posted by: Skate | March 11, 2007 at 11:24 AM
NHL decided that Simon will sit out 25 games....so the suspension will likely carry over to next season.
Posted by: Bob | March 11, 2007 at 08:52 PM
Not that I disagree with the suspension, but the thing that gets me is that Todd Bertuzzi got off very easy by the NHL. HE broke a guys neck and served less than a 20 games suspension. Nobody hand me that crap about he could go play in Europe either because I don't buy it. Steve Moore had hi neck broke and Bertuzzi got off with a slap on the wrist. Had Hollweg been badly injured we woudl probably have seen min 50 games.
Posted by: Greg | March 12, 2007 at 12:28 PM