2018-19 Hockey Megathread: Lightning-Proof Jackets

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Pens should have kept fleury out. Fuck it, go for three.

[Frenline Delpha]

Pens should have kept fleury out. Fuck it, go for three.

Shouldn't have commited that dumbass penalty. Getting a penalty in OT is basically killing yourself.

[Camicon]

Well, now we know what the Caps need to do to beat the Penguins: chop and then crosscheck Crosby in the back of the head within a span of one second.

I'm not a huge fan of Crosby, but that's some fuckin' bullshit right there.

[Kaboomlandia]

Mad props for the Edmonton fans last night.

Basically, what happened was, anthem singer Brett Kissel's mic went out during the American national anthem. The Oilers fans, all 18,000 of them, bailed him out by singing the whole thing and singing it well.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Well, now we know what the Caps need to do to beat the Penguins: chop and then crosscheck Crosby in the back of the head within a span of one second.

I'm not a huge fan of Crosby, but that's some fuckin' bullshit right there.

Maybe I'm naive not being a hockey player, but neither the head slap nor the face check looked intentional. Only the slash which, well that's hockey.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Mad props for the Edmonton fans last night.

Basically, what happened was, anthem singer Brett Kissel's mic went out during the American national anthem. The Oilers fans, all 18,000 of them, bailed him out by singing the whole thing and singing it well.

They didn't sing it well. As a former military musician who's personally performed the National Anthem over a thousand times, it wasn't sung well. It was sung as well as you'd expect a crowd of several thousand spitballing it to sing. It was still heart warming though.


That said, I'm afraid that if the situation was reversed, Americans wouldn't have done it. Not because they're dicks, but but because I don't think many Americans know the words to O' Canada. Like, I know the first and last verses, I get a little mumbly in the middle

[Camicon]

Well, now we know what the Caps need to do to beat the Penguins: chop and then crosscheck Crosby in the back of the head within a span of one second.

I'm not a huge fan of Crosby, but that's some fuckin' bullshit right there.

Maybe I'm naive not being a hockey player, but neither the head slap nor the face check looked intentional. Only the slash which, well that's hockey.

The slash, eh, you could make the argument it wasn't intentional.

The hit to the head? Unquestionably.

[Outer Sparta]

Mad props for the Edmonton fans last night.

Basically, what happened was, anthem singer Brett Kissel's mic went out during the American national anthem. The Oilers fans, all 18,000 of them, bailed him out by singing the whole thing and singing it well.

They didn't sing it well. As a former military musician who's personally performed the National Anthem over a thousand times, it wasn't sung well. It was sung as well as you'd expect a crowd of several thousand spitballing it to sing. It was still heart warming though.


That said, I'm afraid that if the situation was reversed, Americans wouldn't have done it. Not because they're dicks, but but because I don't think many Americans know the words to O' Canada. Like, I know the first and last verses, I get a little mumbly in the middle

The Star Spangled Banner is more well known than O Canada.

[Empire of Cats]

Maybe I'm naive not being a hockey player, but neither the head slap nor the face check looked intentional. Only the slash which, well that's hockey.

The slash, eh, you could make the argument it wasn't intentional.

The hit to the head? Unquestionably.

....And with that, the Caps took a 2-0 lead.

Then they blew it in the last minute of regulation as the Pens scored twice in that span to tie the game.

Then the Caps rallied and won it in OT.

Interesting game, regardless of dirty (or not dirty) plays.

[Frenline Delpha]

The slash, eh, you could make the argument it wasn't intentional.

The hit to the head? Unquestionably.

....And with that, the Caps took a 2-0 lead.

Then they blew it in the last minute of regulation as the Pens scored twice in that span to tie the game.

Then the Caps rallied and won it in OT.

Interesting game, regardless of dirty (or not dirty) plays.

That god-damned motherfucking penalty cost us the game.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

....And with that, the Caps took a 2-0 lead.

Then they blew it in the last minute of regulation as the Pens scored twice in that span to tie the game.

Then the Caps rallied and won it in OT.

Interesting game, regardless of dirty (or not dirty) plays.

That god-damned motherfucking penalty cost us the game.

When y'all scored 2, I texted my sister that y'all should have kept fleury out and gone for the win. You had them on their heals and probably could have put it away in regulation.


Then again, I'm not a hockey coach.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Maybe I'm naive not being a hockey player, but neither the head slap nor the face check looked intentional. Only the slash which, well that's hockey.

The slash, eh, you could make the argument it wasn't intentional.

The hit to the head? Unquestionably.

Well there's three hits right? Ovi hits him twice, and Nisk, once.

Ovi slashes him in the shoulder, and on the recovery binks the back of his helmet.

The slash to the shoulder was clearly intentional, and possibly should have been a penalty. But the bonk on the head was incidental, not malicious. High sticking at worst.

This creates a situation though however where Crosby is moving at full speeds straight into Nisk while rotating and falling. Crosby was movingnin three different directions at once. I believe Nisk that he intentionally put his stick up but to Crosby's shoulder level to defend himself from the impact. However because Crosby was simultaneously going to the ice, by the time he reaches Nisk, his Face is where his shoulder was and he catches Nisk's stick full on to the gob. And here the key thing to keep in mind is that from the slash, to the cross check, only 8/10ths of a second pass. Nisk is purely reacting and I think he then does a decent job protecting Crosby while he's flailing on the ice, while still engaging in the play.

Now it may have been a reckless play, sure, and I think a major penalty was probably a good call. But it was so fast that I believe the players when they say that it wasn't intentional, and I don't think he should have gotten the match penalty, and I'm definitely glad the league isn't adding anything.

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

I don't think it's about the circumstance, but rather the shot on head which is a no-go.

Just sayin'.

[Camicon]

The slash, eh, you could make the argument it wasn't intentional.

The hit to the head? Unquestionably.

Well there's three hits right? Ovi hits him twice, and Nisk, once.

Ovi slashes him in the shoulder, and on the recovery binks the back of his helmet.

The slash to the shoulder was clearly intentional, and possibly should have been a penalty. But the bonk on the head was incidental, not malicious. High sticking at worst.

This creates a situation though however where Crosby is moving at full speeds straight into Nisk while rotating and falling. Crosby was movingnin three different directions at once. I believe Nisk that he intentionally put his stick up but to Crosby's shoulder level to defend himself from the impact. However because Crosby was simultaneously going to the ice, by the time he reaches Nisk, his Face is where his shoulder was and he catches Nisk's stick full on to the gob. And here the key thing to keep in mind is that from the slash, to the cross check, only 8/10ths of a second pass. Nisk is purely reacting and I think he then does a decent job protecting Crosby while he's flailing on the ice, while still engaging in the play.

Now it may have been a reckless play, sure, and I think a major penalty was probably a good call. But it was so fast that I believe the players when they say that it wasn't intentional, and I don't think he should have gotten the match penalty, and I'm definitely glad the league isn't adding anything.

Yesterday, I probably would've said that Niskanen meant to hit him, just not in the head (which would've at least been an interference penalty, given the puck was nowhere near Crosby).

But after Niskanen's comments? He said something along the lines of "I didn't realize I hit him there, until I watched the replays"? Absolute and total bullshit. He knew, the moment his stick made contact, that he got Crosby in the head. Nobody chops a guy with their stick like that and doesn't know where they're hitting. The fact that Niskanen is claiming ignorance essentially confirms that he was aiming for Crosby's head.

[Empire of Cats]

Well there's three hits right? Ovi hits him twice, and Nisk, once.

Ovi slashes him in the shoulder, and on the recovery binks the back of his helmet.

The slash to the shoulder was clearly intentional, and possibly should have been a penalty. But the bonk on the head was incidental, not malicious. High sticking at worst.

This creates a situation though however where Crosby is moving at full speeds straight into Nisk while rotating and falling. Crosby was movingnin three different directions at once. I believe Nisk that he intentionally put his stick up but to Crosby's shoulder level to defend himself from the impact. However because Crosby was simultaneously going to the ice, by the time he reaches Nisk, his Face is where his shoulder was and he catches Nisk's stick full on to the gob. And here the key thing to keep in mind is that from the slash, to the cross check, only 8/10ths of a second pass. Nisk is purely reacting and I think he then does a decent job protecting Crosby while he's flailing on the ice, while still engaging in the play.

Now it may have been a reckless play, sure, and I think a major penalty was probably a good call. But it was so fast that I believe the players when they say that it wasn't intentional, and I don't think he should have gotten the match penalty, and I'm definitely glad the league isn't adding anything.

Yesterday, I probably would've said that Niskanen meant to hit him, just not in the head (which would've at least been an interference penalty, given the puck was nowhere near Crosby).

But after Niskanen's comments? He said something along the lines of "I didn't realize I hit him there, until I watched the replays"? Absolute and total bullshit. He knew, the moment his stick made contact, that he got Crosby in the head. Nobody chops a guy with their stick like that and doesn't know where they're hitting. The fact that Niskanen is claiming ignorance essentially confirms that he was aiming for Crosby's head.

This reminds me so much of the 2015 AFC Wild Card Round between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another instance of a cheap shot to the head.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Well there's three hits right? Ovi hits him twice, and Nisk, once.

Ovi slashes him in the shoulder, and on the recovery binks the back of his helmet.

The slash to the shoulder was clearly intentional, and possibly should have been a penalty. But the bonk on the head was incidental, not malicious. High sticking at worst.

This creates a situation though however where Crosby is moving at full speeds straight into Nisk while rotating and falling. Crosby was movingnin three different directions at once. I believe Nisk that he intentionally put his stick up but to Crosby's shoulder level to defend himself from the impact. However because Crosby was simultaneously going to the ice, by the time he reaches Nisk, his Face is where his shoulder was and he catches Nisk's stick full on to the gob. And here the key thing to keep in mind is that from the slash, to the cross check, only 8/10ths of a second pass. Nisk is purely reacting and I think he then does a decent job protecting Crosby while he's flailing on the ice, while still engaging in the play.

Now it may have been a reckless play, sure, and I think a major penalty was probably a good call. But it was so fast that I believe the players when they say that it wasn't intentional, and I don't think he should have gotten the match penalty, and I'm definitely glad the league isn't adding anything.

Yesterday, I probably would've said that Niskanen meant to hit him, just not in the head (which would've at least been an interference penalty, given the puck was nowhere near Crosby).

But after Niskanen's comments? He said something along the lines of "I didn't realize I hit him there, until I watched the replays"? Absolute and total bullshit. He knew, the moment his stick made contact, that he got Crosby in the head. Nobody chops a guy with their stick like that and doesn't know where they're hitting. The fact that Niskanen is claiming ignorance essentially confirms that he was aiming for Crosby's head.

Again, not a hockey player, but there's something to be said for "it all happened so fast." Like I said, the whole affair, from ovi to Nisk happened in .8 seconds. Watching the replay Nisk never looks down once, his eyes are above Crosby and following the play. Like even in fencing, when most points come down to less than half a second of action, even while being fully focused, even professionals can't tell you exactly what happened, they can only give you a general idea.

I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt that he really didn't fully know what had transpired until looking back.

[Camicon]

Yesterday, I probably would've said that Niskanen meant to hit him, just not in the head (which would've at least been an interference penalty, given the puck was nowhere near Crosby).

But after Niskanen's comments? He said something along the lines of "I didn't realize I hit him there, until I watched the replays"? Absolute and total bullshit. He knew, the moment his stick made contact, that he got Crosby in the head. Nobody chops a guy with their stick like that and doesn't know where they're hitting. The fact that Niskanen is claiming ignorance essentially confirms that he was aiming for Crosby's head.

Again, not a hockey player, but there's something to be said for "it all happened so fast." Like I said, the whole affair, from ovi to Nisk happened in .8 seconds. Watching the replay Nisk never looks down once, his eyes are above Crosby and following the play. Like even in fencing, when most points come down to less than half a second of action, even while being fully focused, even professionals can't tell you exactly what happened, they can only give you a general idea.

I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt that he really didn't fully know what had transpired until looking back.

Fencing is a poor analogy, because the blades are very thin, very flexible, and silver, making it difficult to track against someone who is wearing a bunch of white padding. Those blades move faster than the human eye can track them, and the equipment fencers wear and use all but eliminates tactile feedback.

With 18 years of hockey experience under my belt, I can tell you with full confidence that Niskanen knew where he hit Crosby. There is a distinct difference in feeling between a player's shoulder or arm, and their helmet. "I didnt know where I hit him until I saw the replay" is a bald faced lie; I might believe that excuse from a kid in Peewee, but not an NHLer.

No, Niskanen knew where Crosby's head was, he knew he had lost his edges and was falling to his knees, and he made that crosscheck anyways. He may not have made a conscious decision to do so, it might have all been instinct and reaction, but that doesn't excuse it. Split-second though it may have been, Niskanen made a decision there, and it's probably going to spell the end of the playoffs for Crosby.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Again, not a hockey player, but there's something to be said for "it all happened so fast." Like I said, the whole affair, from ovi to Nisk happened in .8 seconds. Watching the replay Nisk never looks down once, his eyes are above Crosby and following the play. Like even in fencing, when most points come down to less than half a second of action, even while being fully focused, even professionals can't tell you exactly what happened, they can only give you a general idea.

I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt that he really didn't fully know what had transpired until looking back.

Fencing is a poor analogy, because the blades are very thin, very flexible, and silver, making it difficult to track against someone who is wearing a bunch of white padding. Those blades move faster than the human eye can track them, and the equipment fencers wear and use all but eliminates tactile feedback.

With 18 years of hockey experience under my belt, I can tell you with full confidence that Niskanen knew where he hit Crosby. There is a distinct difference in feeling between a player's shoulder or arm, and their helmet. "I didnt know where I hit him until I saw the replay" is a bald faced lie; I might believe that excuse from a kid in Peewee, but not an NHLer.

No, Niskanen knew where Crosby's head was, he knew he had lost his edges and was falling to his knees, and he made that crosscheck anyways. He may not have made a conscious decision to do so, it might have all been instinct and reaction, but that doesn't excuse it. Split-second though it may have been, Niskanen made a decision there, and it's probably going to spell the end of the playoffs for Crosby.

Maybe you're right. I don't know. The general consensus seems to be that the hit wasn't malicious (unless you're from Pittsburgh). He no doubt made the division to hit Crosby, instead of just colliding, but whether he was truly headhunting I guess only Nisk will ever truly know.

As for Crosby being out, while I don't wish injury on any player, especially a head injury, I'm not exactly heart broken to see Crosby and a couple pens go down. as callous as it may seem, this is sort of the Atlantic's/Rangers long game, hoping the Met beats itself up to the point where they can scarcely compete with them.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Rangers respond with a dominating performance. Cut Sens lead down to 1

[Gim]

They didn't sing it well. As a former military musician who's personally performed the National Anthem over a thousand times, it wasn't sung well. It was sung as well as you'd expect a crowd of several thousand spitballing it to sing. It was still heart warming though.


That said, I'm afraid that if the situation was reversed, Americans wouldn't have done it. Not because they're dicks, but but because I don't think many Americans know the words to O' Canada. Like, I know the first and last verses, I get a little mumbly in the middle

The Star Spangled Banner is more well known than O Canada.

Also, in Montreal, fans have to sing O Canada in English and French.

[Empire of Cats]

Nashville wins Game 4 against the Saint Louis Blues, 2-1.

One more win and they advance to the third round for the first time in franchise history.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Nashville wins Game 4 against the Saint Louis Blues, 2-1.

One more win and they advance to the third round for the first time in franchise history.

Montreal really must be kicking themselves in the ass for letting Suban go

[Camicon]

Nashville wins Game 4 against the Saint Louis Blues, 2-1.

One more win and they advance to the third round for the first time in franchise history.

Montreal really must be kicking themselves in the ass for letting Suban go

It was a bad trade.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Montreal really must be kicking themselves in the ass for letting Suban go

It was a bad trade.

Indeed, if they had recognized that Therrien was the real problem earlier, Subban would still be there, and we might be watching the Habs duke it out with the Sens instead.

[Outer Sparta]

It was a bad trade.

Indeed, if they had recognized that Therrien was the real problem earlier, Subban would still be there, and we might be watching the Habs duke it out with the Sens instead.

That could be a reason why they couldn't score. Subban has always contributed for them.