Ovechkin gets a Game Misconduct

[GoHawks 0]

I was watching the IIHF world championships on tv here, and they broadcast the game between Russia and Switzerland. Ovie was in the penalty box for something, I'm not sure what. Anyway, as his penalty expired, a Swiss forward was skating up the boards. AO jumps out of the box, Swiss guy has his head down, skating low, and AO puts his shoulder right into his head. Pretty hard contact, but AO was moving perpendicular to the puck carrier. After being interviewed later, the Swiss guy said AO threw an elbow, but after watching replay after replay, it looked to me like it was solid shoulder contact, his arms were down at his sides. AO gets sent to the box, big commotion (i don't understand Finnish, so I don't know what they were talking about on tv) and then Ovechkin gets a match penalty. I thought the call was bullshit. I can maybe see the 2 min penalty, because it's the IIHF, and he was out of it for a little bit, but seriously... a game misconduct for making a technically clean (but brutal) "hit", it was more like he was skating by and tilted his shoulder a little bit. Did anyone else see this? What did you think of it?

[Monty22 833]

Looks like he was suspended for 1 game as well for the hit to the head. I haven't seen it yet, so I can't say if it was a legit call or not.

[GoHawks 0]

It was brutal, I'm not saying it wasn't, but I dunno if it was worth that much of a suspension. It didn't look like he really lined him up or anything, he just jumped out of the box, was absolutely perpendicular, and it just caught Wirz on the side of the head. I'm not 100% on the rule in this case, but the 2 min penalty they originally gave him was for 'checking to the head'. Again, I could be wrong, I'm not a ref or anything, but IMO it wasn't really deliberate or anything.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I believe head shots are illegal in international play.

[D3nZ 0]

The fact that Ovy did not hit the guy with a elbow and Webber's elbow was up can make a diference of 2 games. I am impressed.

[ju87 0]

any vids of the hit?

[Sven 1]

Ive seen it live as well and i think this misconduct is okay. He went into the guy and elbowish near the head. The swiss guy even had the head up but he looked to the left (where another player was) and he did not realise that the penalty was over so he did not see Ovechkin.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Here is the vid for it

http://japersrink.blogspot.com/2007/05/set...d-straight.html

[kingjames23rulz 0]

wow are you blind? that was a huge elbow look how his left arm raises up...you have got to be kididng me

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

wow are you blind? that was a huge elbow look how his left arm raises up...you have got to be kididng me

Are you being sarcastic? His arm didn't come up until after the contact.

Penalty, yeah, sure

Suspension, maybe if they were playing no contact badminton or something, but this is hockey

[bheidepr 0]

I think the hit was pretty mild, but I think any contact to someones head needs a suspension....

[davezilla 0]

lol, that shouldn't even be a roughing penalty.

[GoHawks 0]

so according to that link, a Vancouver newspaper called that 'headhunting'. Biggest crock I've ever heard. Only reason it was full on contact with the guy's head is because he had the puck down in his skates, so he was looking left and down and not paying attention to the D. His forward lean was pretty ridiculous too, so that put his head pretty low. No elbow on that hit.

[TBLfan 25]

it looks like an elbow to me, watch his left arm. Not a huge elbow but definitely an elbow.

[Alias81 0]

I believe head shots are illegal in international play.

Haha! For what it's worth though IMO it was blatent checking to the head and unneeded as we've seen Ovechkin has no problem in taking the body and eliminating the man.

[TCsnipes9 0]

Not an elbow, and NOT a check to the head. The guys bent at the waste, and looking to make a pass.

[D-MaN88 0]

I have to agree with those that say nothing should have been called. Watch the video again, A. he's not paying attention to anything but his left side of the ice B. he's bent really low so his head is pretty much at Ovey's level and C. he's tilted forward so he's leaning right into his elbow/the hit. I don't think that should have been anything.

[jmiro 55]

looks like a check to the head with no elbow. However back to basics keep your head up. i would have droped him to if i was ovey.

[Hidious 0]

This is the sport of hockey. Keep your head up or pay the price. Nothing wrong with the hit there.

[eltonno172 0]

Hidious, I've seen the hit now from about 5 other perspectives over and over again, and Valentin Wirz's (the swiss forward) head is UP, he is just watching to his left, ready to make a pass, having no clue that there is someone coming out of the boards.

[Hidious 0]

You're right but hey...i guess Ovechkin should have yelled "Watch out dude, i'm there!"

[shute 4]

You're right but hey...i guess Ovechkin should have yelled "Watch out dude, i'm there!"

wrong it was ovechkins job to get out of his way.

[jmiro 55]

You're right but hey...i guess Ovechkin should have yelled "Watch out dude, i'm there!"

wrong it was ovechkins job to get out of his way.

i will remember that the next time a forward is skating my way not looking at me. Ill dive out of his way or scream. I even think the beer league im in might not have called that because the dude skated right into him. get ran over or hit. Ill give the hit.

[Chadd 916]

Good call given the IIHF rules, I'd love to see that rule (head contact) adopted by the NHL as well.

[TapOrSnap 0]

Looked pretty legal to me. But the IIHF calls anything near the head