Morrissey gets one game.
https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety/...44160576327680
Blades of Steel
9 Team Full Keeper - Pts Only (G,A,W,SO)
Crosby, Wheeler, Bergeron, Forsberg, Connor, Kopitar, E.Lindholm, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Fiala
Jones, Klingberg, Hamilton, Theodore, Letang
Saros, Shesterkin
Garland, Vrana, Bjorkstrand, Verhaege, Backstrom, Karlsson, Perunovich, Spurgeon, Pulock, Hellebuyck
It's a game of inches and happens in a split second. If he is one inch lower and gets his shoulder pad, there is no discussion. I don't think it was a vicious play. Careless maybe, but last I checked, carelessness resulted in an in-game penalty, not this kind of suspension. The NHL sometimes.... like, come on.
Blades of Steel
9 Team Full Keeper - Pts Only (G,A,W,SO)
Crosby, Wheeler, Bergeron, Forsberg, Connor, Kopitar, E.Lindholm, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Fiala
Jones, Klingberg, Hamilton, Theodore, Letang
Saros, Shesterkin
Garland, Vrana, Bjorkstrand, Verhaege, Backstrom, Karlsson, Perunovich, Spurgeon, Pulock, Hellebuyck
I actually saw a pic on twitter where Staal actually wasn't standing straight up..
Zorro says "vote for Dobber"
Angus is my best friend at dobberhockey..
Call me the conspiracy theorist, but with Suter and Parise out, MIN needed an edge to make the series closer... Take out Morrissey for one game and you have your chance. I also think it appeases the Minnesota franchise...
Given his disciplinary history, I think a suspension was heavy. While perhaps avoidable and certainly a penalty, it was not a pre-meditated, clear attempt to injure, or to target the head with an intent to injure.
Blades of Steel
9 Team Full Keeper - Pts Only (G,A,W,SO)
Crosby, Wheeler, Bergeron, Forsberg, Connor, Kopitar, E.Lindholm, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Fiala
Jones, Klingberg, Hamilton, Theodore, Letang
Saros, Shesterkin
Garland, Vrana, Bjorkstrand, Verhaege, Backstrom, Karlsson, Perunovich, Spurgeon, Pulock, Hellebuyck
I love a good conspiracy theory but I don't see it here. There's no doubt in my mind that Morrissey didn't intentionally deliver a brutal crosscheck to E.Staal's neck, but the hit was optically horrific. Accident or not, this was scary, and stung Staal to the point where he was initially frozen in his skates.
IMO, the NHL was in a no-win situation. Personally, I don't think anyone (including Staal) thinks the hit was premeditated or a deliberate act, but if you let it slide, it sets a horrible precedent. Players need to be accountable for their actions, even if it's a slip during the heat of battle. One thing's for sure - if Morrissey had a history, he might have been looking at 4 games. He only received one, because he's a good dude with no track record.
Players need to be very careful with these type of crosschecks. Morrissey may be small by NHL standards, but he's a pro athlete that is strong in general. Although accidental, a reckless hit like that could break someone's neck or do serious damage.
Steve Mason got injured again! He left morning practice. Unbelievable.
Hope Niku is up for the challenge tonight. I don't think his defensive game is at all NHL ready, but boy can he skate and move the puck. Hopefully the good outweighs the bad tonight.
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My guess is that Myers plays tonight. Might as well go all in to try to finish at home, then hopefully rest up and recover for next series.
Enstrom skated on his own today. Myers declared himself good to go. Can't imagine Maurice would hold him back in a series-clinching game.
As good as Niku was in his first game, I want Myers on the ice. I suppose they keep Poolman in to replace Morrissey? Morrissey has also been a beast this round. What a player. Plays the game awful big and awful hard for a smaller guy. Very impressive.
Blades of Steel
9 Team Full Keeper - Pts Only (G,A,W,SO)
Crosby, Wheeler, Bergeron, Forsberg, Connor, Kopitar, E.Lindholm, Pastrnak, DeBrincat, Fiala
Jones, Klingberg, Hamilton, Theodore, Letang
Saros, Shesterkin
Garland, Vrana, Bjorkstrand, Verhaege, Backstrom, Karlsson, Perunovich, Spurgeon, Pulock, Hellebuyck