Pacioretty leaves game on a stretcher

[Diffusion]

Latest from http://habsinsideout.com/:

With 16 seconds to play in the second period, Chara crushed Pacioretty into the glass partition between the two benches. Pacioretty lay motionless on the ice for several minutes, and was take off by stretcher. Chara was thrown out of the game and will likely have a meeting with the NHL over the hit. The Gazette's Dave Stubbs reported via Twiiter during the third period that Pacioretty was conscious, and all limbs moving. He was sent to hospital for observation

[dyzfunctioned]

Wow, just saw the replay now, that was crazy.

Don't feel it was intentional and simply wrong place at the wrong time, but still needs to be addressed.

[Richard]

Oh hey look, other people don't think it's a dirty hit:

TSNBobMcKenzie Bob McKenzie
As for Chara hit, first reaction, subject to review, is that it wasn't an overly dirty or malcious hit. Interference? Yes. Terrible result.

Glass/boards configuration exacerbated it in big way. Started as a simple tho late rub out with bad consequences.

adater adater
Any other place in rink, Chara's hit on Pacioretty is clean and nothing happens. Not his fault turnbuckle was right there suddenly.

Wait a minute, the puck wasn't loooong gone. It was only gone for a half second and Chara finishing off the play. Hard hit but not dirty imo


and Milbury also agreed that it wasn't overly dirty

Mackenzie and Milbury have excellent reputation, but they never go againts the NHL.

Chara did push Pacioretty head into the board. Plain and simple.

[Killer67]

I don't think he deserved what he got. Chara isn't a dirty player either. No suspension is forthcoming, IMO.

Cmon Ev, I know you like to get a rise out of Habs fans but that was a dirty hit. If you watch it again, you can see that he is intentionally waiting to push him into the divider. I'm not saying Chara's a dirty player but this is a dirty, retribution hit and should be punished.

The more attention it gets, the worse the suspension will be. Sucks for Chara, he did it in Montreal, the spotlight will never fade.

[ddp]

Here's hoping max is alright...and chara gets mobbed on the way to the bus by 50 angry habs fans.

[vandalay]

I don't buy for one second that Chara didn't know exactly where he was on the ice/boards. The guy has played hockey for a living for years and has played in that rink 6-8 times a year for the last 10 years.

Not saying that this was absolutely intentional or anything but don't be so bloody naive, it was a very negligent play at the very least.

[Killer67]

Mackenzie and Milbury have excellent reputation, but they never go againts the NHL.

Chara did push Pacioretty head into the board. Plain and simple.

Actually, Milbury is equal to Mike Green (some of you will get this reference). I don't value much that he says. MacKenzie has a good rep though. All that being said, Chara clearly looks up and pushes Pacs right into the divider at the moment they pass it.

[Big Ev]

Mackenzie and Milbury have excellent reputation, but they never go againts the NHL.

Chara did push Pacioretty head into the board. Plain and simple.

It's not "plain and simple". I don't think he drove (or even touched) his head into the boards at all. More of a bodycheck.

[Big Ev]

I don't buy for one second that Chara didn't know exactly where he was on the ice/boards. The guy has played hockey for a living for years and has played in that rink 6-8 times a year for the last 10 years.

Not saying that this was absolutely intentional or anything but don't be so bloody naive, it was a very negligent play at the very least.

In a split second you're probably not even thinking what's around you. You think he's got time to even remember that the stantion is there if he's focused on hitting Pacioretty?

[bigs_biggie]

You're telling me this guy cant lose his mind once in a while. He was looking for the right place to get him back. We all know how pissed Chara was after this OT goal some people don't forget and make it a point to repay it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuRSLZ8LRRs

[Big Ev]

Cmon Ev, I know you like to get a rise out of Habs fans but that was a dirty hit. If you watch it again, you can see that he is intentionally waiting to push him into the divider. I'm not saying Chara's a dirty player but this is a dirty, retribution hit and should be punished.

The more attention it gets, the worse the suspension will be. Sucks for Chara, he did it in Montreal, the spotlight will never fade.

I just don't agree. Not trying to get a rise out of Habs fans at all.

[bondon]

b0ndon, yeah it is easy to have a split second lapse in judgement out there. But seeing as that can end someones career, or impair them for life, its every players responsibility not to allow that error, and every player is responsible when they slip and do horrible damage to somebody.

Oh hey don't get me wrong I completely agree that players should be held responsible. I'm just trying to put things into perspective because a lot of the posts in this thread have been issued with hot heads.
When you're pissed you do a lot of stupid things. I don't think anyone in this thread could honestly say that they've never done something absolutely stupid in a moment of anger that they didn't regret almost immediately thereafter. Hell I know I've done it a $h1tload of times. The difference is this is on a national stage at breakneck speed where injuries (and serious ones) are a lot more prevalent. And while I know a lot of people are saying that you gotta have more respect for the game and stuff like that, people have to also take into account that this game is what these players do EVERY DAY. Just like the rest of us, they are prone to committing everyday mistakes.

All I'm saying is its easy to get carried away with assigning blame when something this bad happens. Of course Chara should be held responsible, but he shouldn't be crucified for something that we're all capable of doing at some point in our lives.

[ocossette]

Good point by a guy from RDS, Chara made an illegal move (interference) and it went wrong. He's thereby 100% responsible and he needs to be punished even if it's not intentional!

[Thunder]

Watching L'Antichambre on RDS, out of the 4-man panel only one says he thinks it was intentional.

I tend to agree. The result is absolutely awful, but it's hard to believe Chara realized what he was doing. You'd have to be some sick mother to do something like this on purpose.

[vandalay]

In a split second you're probably not even thinking what's around you. You think he's got time to even remember that the stantion is there if he's focused on hitting Pacioretty?

Yes, I do think he has that time. And he was trying to hold the blue line, something he does over and over every single night. The NHL is fast and all but it's not like we're talking about F1 here!