(Poll) How much should Chara get?

[lanky522]

It was a late hit/rub out attempt.

When you watch the replay at full speed, it seems innocent enough, however when you slow it down and watch the video Chara's head is looking right at the stanchion/turnbuckle as his arms begin to extend and push Pacioretty into the boards/glass.

If he wasn't looking at that stanchion than he must have a serious hard on for the scorekeeper...

LOL... Awesome. I agree. He's staring right where he was pushing...

Even if he wasn't, as Carey Price noted, "Everybody's aware of what's what out there. I don't care what anybody says, you're aware of your surroundings. It's your job out there to know what's where."

My sentiments exactly... Even if Chara wasn't staring directly where he was pushing... he still knew exactly where that stanchion was...

[lanky522]

Mike Murphy's statement:

"I conducted a hearing with Boston Bruins' defenseman Zdeno Chara with respect to the major penalty for interference and game misconduct that he was assessed at 19:44 of the second period for a hit on Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens.

After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards. I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.

This was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface. In reviewing this play, I also took into consideration that Chara has not been involved in a supplemental discipline incident during his 13-year NHL career."

Pretty much agree with everything he said. It was a play that happens a lot every year.

Wow... so according to Murphy, pushing a guy into the stanchion while he's skating full speed and doesn't have the puck is now considered a "hockey play?"

...

I've got a BIG issue with people that can't seem to connect the dots in their heads to realize that position on the ice matters.

If you hit someone from behind in the center of the ice and they fall forward, it's a completely different situation (and significantly less dangerous) than hitting them from behind when they're against the boards or while they're jamming at a puck with their face an inch from the goal crossbar (just two examples).

Along the same lines, nudging/pushing/hitting someone as they try to skate past you may be a minor offense (with little danger involved)... but doing the same thing by the stanchion is a different scenario.

You can't simply say, "oh... this happens all the time during the course of the game... and this is just an unfortunate incident because of where the players were" because where the players are positioned on the ice matters. You can't say "oh... well if chara had hit him 5 feet this way or 5 feet that way then it wouldn't be a big deal and max would be just fine" because where the players are positioned on the ice matters.

how many times do I have to emphasize this here? I mean seriously... this sport is all about geographical locations on the ice.

would you say... oh, well we just scored a goal because the puck crossed the blue line? No... you'd be stupid for saying that. If a goalie decided to use the faceoff circle as his goal crease, would you say that he was doing a good job of goaltending? no... you'd be stupid for saying that too...

so why do some of you insist on arguing (as that ass-clown Murphy decided) that this hit isn't bad because it takes place other places on the ice all the time? POSITION MATTERS.

P.S. Chara has been involved in supplemental discipline before... where did this ass-clown get his facts from?

[Chuk]

The hit from behind is the clearest example of position mattering to the refs and the league.

[Old_Smokie]

As per Gino Reda: Maxpac just left the hospital.