AHL stick swinging

[ponty 0]

I think its time to take away guys careers for this kind of crap. If you dont have respect for other players or the game you dont belong in the game at all.

A message needs to be sent now before someone dies.

[D3nZ 0]

Like they are talking again. now with the Yzerman incident. to putting visors on everyone that will to the same as helmets did, more high sticks and broken teeth, they don't have respect for each other. It's pisses me off that a Montreal prospect does a thing like that cause my favorite team is the Habs. For his defence the guy did try to hit him first and missed but use your freaking head next time buddy.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Eman - He saw that both were knocked down, and as he came around he realized he was still on the ground. I don't think that he meant to hammer him in the face, but his intent was to injure. At least in my mind it was.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Too many punks learning how to play hockey while wearing cages...

Watch a college game...high sticks galore...

[Eazy_b97 1]

I just saw it again for a 3rd time. He looked right at him and fired his stick at his head. He got up turned and swung for his bucket, the more I see it the more is sickens me.

[J-Shera 0]

Anyone have a clip of this, I really want to see it.

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

Actually you probably don't. It's not pretty.

[D3nZ 0]

Just imagine if he would have hit him right in the adam's apple, that guy would hever have gotten up.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I was at the Hamilton-Cleveland game Friday night and I have seen the incident at least 5 times since on TV. There is no question that it is an ugly/disgusting incident that will greatly affect both players (Garret Stafford as well as Alexander Perezhogin). There are a lot of factors that are going to lead to how long Perezhogin is suspended. Stafford swung first, and had he connected it would have been Perezhogin taken off on a stretcher. That will surely be taken into account. That doesn't by any means make what Perezhogin did right. Alex was wrong and should be severely punished. But, Stafford's swing was hardly accidental (like the Belak incident a few weeks back). Stafford had the same intent that Perezhogin did. He intended to hurt his opponent. Perezhogin's swing connected. TSN's That's Hockey commented Friday night that both players' actions should draw suspensions. That remains to be seen.

Another issue is the way the ensuing melee was handled. Only one of the 3 players who jumped on Perezhogin was penalized. They beat on him to the point that he was knocked out. Now, I know that players are going to stand up for a team mate, but 1 roughing penalty after a 3-4 players beating on 1 is crazy. How were more Barons players not penalized. After that incident the game deteriorated into a circus, because of poor officaiting. Ref Bob Langdon had no control of the game at all and there were 4-5 more fights (including a 6 on 6 brawl that included the goalies). There were cheap shots, 3rd man in's, checks from behind (on both teams) and no calls. And some of the penalties that were called made no sence. He actually called an instigator on a Hamilton player who dropped the gloves after being elbowed in the head....go figure.

Back to the original incident. A lifetime ban seems a little harsh. Alexander Perezhogin is a 21 year old kid with great talent and a huge future. He is Hamilton's leading playoff scorer, and hardly a player that has a history of violence. This was not premeditated. This was not a reaction to something that happened in a previous game. An opponent swung at Alexander Perezhogin's head and he reacted quickly without thinking. I agree with Eman24dx. I doubt Alex knew that the player he was swinging at was on the ice, he turned and swung in one motion...he probably intended to hurt him, but I can't imagine that a player with no violent history would swing at the head on purpose. Had he he stopped to think about his reaction he probably wouldn't have swung his stick at all...but tragically he didn't, and now he, as well as Garret Stafford will have to live with the consequences. The rest of the playoffs and 20-30 games into next year should make the point.

BTW, Bob MacKenzie's thoughts on the incident: http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie.asp?id=82430

[dgaronzik 1]

Theo thanks for posting it, I hadnt seen it yet.

My thoughts, both players tried to take each others heads off, perezhogin just connected with more force and also coming down onto garretts face/head. Garrett's swing was bad but no where near as bad as what ensued. Garrett should get a some games when he gets back but Perezhogin should be done.

[D3nZ 0]

Rest of the playoffs and all of next year, seems good from my point of view.

[jeffv 0]

Seems like a good call on that end of things, but I'm surprised at only 6 games for Stafford. In my mind, deliberately taking the swing, even if you don't make contact, is the punishable offense. But for luck (or bad aim), it would be Stafford that would be suspended for a year plus.

I'd have to go back and watch it again to see if I can figure out how they came to six games.

[jay 1]

Geeze, a guy in my roller hockey league swung his stick at another player a number of times and didn't miss a game. I guess that's what happens your dating the league director.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Longest in AHL History.

Wasn't Mcsorely's (I know it was NHL) a lifetime ban, that he had to re-apply to come back into the league? I found this to be much much worse.

[kosydar 0]

Longest in AHL History.

Wasn't Mcsorely's (I know it was NHL) a lifetime ban, that he had to re-apply to come back into the league? I found this to be much much worse.

I thought McSorely's was just the end of the season and playoffs, plus he had to apply for reinstatement, which he never did. I'm probably wrong though.

[Chadd 916]

Geeze, a guy in my roller hockey league swung his stick at another player a number of times and didn't miss a game. I guess that's what happens your dating the league director.

Was the league director a woman?

Back on topic, one year seems to be a good choice, it will be interesting to see if the IIHF upholds the suspension and prevents him from playing in Europe next year. I'd guess that his club team will be able to find enough cash to get him cleared.

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

I think they should have suspended him for the whole season, except for the last say, 10 games. Thats a long suspention, and I doubt he will ever do it again.

[kosydar 0]

Jeez...some of you guys just aren't getting it. Who cares if he feels bad, or if he won't do it again. The fact of the matter is that he did do it, and needs to be severely punished.

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

The other guy swong his stick too, and he only got 6 games. It doesn't really matter if he conneted or not, it was intent to injure, and that is a serious penalty. All I am saying is that the entire season is a bit much. This guy will loose a lot of potential not playing for a full season. It was all retalation, and it was NOT premeditated. I just don't agree, and his past should have had to do with the suspention.

[kosydar 0]

It doesn't matter what the other guy did, he is accountable for his own actions. The whole "potential" argument is moot. Ones ability should play no part in their punishment, as it didn't with Bertuzzi's punishment. Premetitated or retalatory...it doesn't matter. He beat the hell out of a guys face with his stick, he deserves what he got, and then some.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I still think retalitory is woirse than premeditated, at least with the pre he's following a plan that maybe one or more were in on so he was under control, where retalitory the player just lost his cool and did something awful, which is much harder to control and IMO shows signs that it may happen again, where if I player faces a penalty like this and it's a predmeditated, then most likely he won't ever do it again.

[hockey39 0]

I still think retalitory is woirse than premeditated, at least with the pre he's following a plan that maybe one or more were in on so he was under control, where retalitory the player just lost his cool and did something awful, which is much harder to control and IMO shows signs that it may happen again, where if I player faces a penalty like this and it's a predmeditated, then most likely he won't ever do it again.

Respectfully disagree.

Premeditated attack is far worse than retalitory action(s). To be able to think about your future actions and having the time to decide right from wrong, and still carry out the act shows a greater lack of self control than a retalitory one.

hockey

[Chadd 916]

The point of the punishment is to make the player hesitate before retaliating next time. The effectiveness of that is open to debate.