Bergeron out

[Chadd 916]

Bruins - Flyers game, first period. Bergeron is in a race for the puck with Randy Jones, Jones slows up and lets Bergeron get to the puck first, then creams him from behind. I'm sure the video will be up in a couple hours.

If Bergeron gets up, it's maybe a two minute minor for boarding in teh NHL. At any other level, it's an automatic five and game. The NHL has to start treating these hits from behind more seriously, especially along the boards. This is at least number ten this season and four or five have had serious injury potential.

Prediction: Jones gets no more than a game or two at most.

[Buzz_LightBeer 970]

sounds bad, the guys on the radio made it sound like Bergeron turned his back to the hit

[Chadd 916]

sounds bad, the guys on the radio made it sound like Bergeron turned his back to the hit

No way. Bergeron went straight to the puck, Jones slowed down and didn't even make a play on the puck. Bergeron stopped a couple feet short of the boards when he played the puck behind the net but he didn't turn his back. Bergeron had his back to Jones before he was within five feet of the puck. Once Bergeron touched the puck, Jones went at him hard. Jones' hands rode up high on his back putting Bergeron head first into the boards. There wasn't an intent to hurt him, but there was an intent to hit him hard.

I just think it's sad that defensemen are coached to let the other guy get to the puck first and then hit them as hard as they can. I'd rather see two guys battle for the puck than one guy give up on the puck just to throw a hit.

[Buzz_LightBeer 970]

Ill have to catch this on SC, the radio boys didnt describe it well

[sabre09923 0]

Just saw the hit, and Chadd's description is right on. Scary situation for sure, as Jack Edwards said that there was no word on whether Patrice had regained consciousness yet.

It's only halfway through the game, and the Flyers already have over 30 minutes in penalties. Seems like they still are the Broad Street Bullies...

[CapsFan 5]

Chadd,

I think I mis-worded my other post. Bergeron clearly had his back to Jones the entire time. I didn't mean he turned at the last second.

Maybe the NHL should hand out 5 and a game for ANY hit from behind, regardless of injury. Maybe that would limit this kind of play...

[LegoDoom 0]

I still haven't seen the hit, but Jones already issued a public apology during the 2nd intermission. Not that it makes up for what happened, but there was clearly no intent to injury. Randy Jones just isn't that kind of player.

[Chadd 916]

Chadd,

I think I mis-worded my other post. Bergeron clearly had his back to Jones the entire time. I didn't mean he turned at the last second.

Maybe the NHL should hand out 5 and a game for ANY hit from behind, regardless of injury. Maybe that would limit this kind of play...

I've been a big proponent of suspending guys based on the potential for injury of a play and not on the actual result of the play. The issue on this type of hit is that coaches are teaching kids to let the other guy get the puck and then cream him. Why do you think you see so many guys pull up in those situations?

I still haven't seen the hit, but Jones already issued a public apology during the 2nd intermission. Not that it makes up for what happened, but there was clearly no intent to injury. Randy Jones just isn't that kind of player.

This was no Downie or Boulerice incident by any means. It was a really high and hard check from behind in a dangerous place.

Not really related, but a thought.

Maybe fining teams significantly every time a guy gets suspended or increasing the fine every time there is a suspension would have some sort of impact. That might make teams less likely to sign or draft a guy like Downie or Boulerice.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Just saw it, looks like he goes out of way to hammer Bergeron's head.

[Chadd 916]

Broken nose and concussion according to HNIC.

[DCott 0]

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins...7_bergeron_hit/

those are some scary shots.

[themooseisloose 0]

horrible hit........the nhl better crack down on hits like this and fine jones and suspend him

[halfmoonyote 0]

Just saw it, looks like he goes out of way to hammer Bergeron's head.

Eazy - with all due respect, your ass is way out.

I typically respect your hockey insight as you know quite a bit, but you are way off base here. Randy Jones didnt go out of his way to hammer Bergeron's head. That's assisine. You do understand at which the speed these guys are playing the game. It's really easy to say something like that watching it SLOW MOTION.

Come on.

I'm not condoning the danger of these types of hits, but a.) Randy Jones is not a dirty player and b.) he was not 'going out of his way' to 'hammer' Bergeron's head. No one can predict angles of objects in high speed when they are abrubtly brought to a halt.

Ever consider, for one second, that Bergeron is already going down when Jones is committing?

You are a Leafs fan, right?

[Chadd 916]

Just saw it, looks like he goes out of way to hammer Bergeron's head.

Eazy - with all due respect, your ass is way out.

I typically respect your hockey insight as you know quite a bit, but you are way off base here. Randy Jones didnt go out of his way to hammer Bergeron's head. That's assisine. You do understand at which the speed these guys are playing the game. It's really easy to say something like that watching it SLOW MOTION.

Come on.

I'm not condoning the danger of these types of hits, but a.) Randy Jones is not a dirty player and b.) he was not 'going out of his way' to 'hammer' Bergeron's head. No one can predict angles of objects in high speed when they are abrubtly brought to a halt.

Ever consider, for one second, that Bergeron is already going down when Jones is committing?

You are a Leafs fan, right?

Sure, Bergeron is slightly lower than normal as he's trying to stop but Jones gets his hands up high, you can't deny that. Jones also followed through with his hands even after he must have realized his hands were up around Bergeron's upper back/head.

[Dean_ 0]

Here is the video. Jones is really not that kind of player, but he should still get a suspension.

[halfmoonyote 0]

Sure, Bergeron is slightly lower than normal as he's trying to stop but Jones gets his hands up high, you can't deny that. Jones also followed through with his hands even after he must have realized his hands were up around Bergeron's upper back/head.

I completely agree with everything you mentioned. It's just one of those unfortunate incidents that sometimes happens in this great game. It's a fast, violent sport. I feel very confident in saying that Jones wasn't attempting anything malicious. All of the damage was done when Bergeron's head smacked the top of the boards.

The update from the Boston Globe is that Bergeron has a broken nose and concussion. It looked like it could have been much worse.

[Chadd 916]

Sure, Bergeron is slightly lower than normal as he's trying to stop but Jones gets his hands up high, you can't deny that. Jones also followed through with his hands even after he must have realized his hands were up around Bergeron's upper back/head.

I completely agree with everything you mentioned. It's just one of those unfortunate incidents that sometimes happens in this great game. It's a fast, violent sport. I feel very confident in saying that Jones wasn't attempting anything malicious. All of the damage was done when Bergeron's head smacked the top of the boards.

The update from the Boston Globe is that Bergeron has a broken nose and concussion. It looked like it could have been much worse.

I agree with you on almost all of that, but Jones intentionally shied away from playing the puck so he could hit Bergeron from behind. That is a problem and not just an unfortunate incident. It's hard to see from the replays in the link already posted but Jones stops striding before he gets to the hash marks. You don't slow down if you want to play the puck.

[sabre09923 0]

Watching that video again, it's clear that Jones, at the time of committing, shouldn't have even hit him anyways. Bergeron's back was to Jones and he was 3 or so feet away from the boards. Intent to injure? Too close to call. Dirty hit? Absolutely.

[TBLfan 25]

wow, that was baaad. This needs to stop, it's bad for the players and bad for the game. Is it going to take a broken neck before they start cracking down? And I mean really cracking down.

[DCott 0]

not only did jones turn his body away from the puck, but his head was turned to bergeron the entire time. he only looks to the puck after he lays him out.

[ponty 0]

I have said this since the Bert mess ... Until someone dies, and it will happen at this rate, the NHL will do very little.

They need to set an example, depending on the infraction, either suspend for a very long time or a life ban.

[#96 0]

Pickles was saying last week that a lot of these hits are happening because guys are turning a lot more easier than they used to. I have to agree. Not saying it gives you the right to hit somebody from behind, but I do see lots of guys turning their backs to the play to "protect the puck".

[cause4alarm 7]

How would you coach a defenseman to play otherwise?

I've been a big proponent of suspending guys based on the potential for injury of a play and not on the actual result of the play. The issue on this type of hit is that coaches are teaching kids to let the other guy get the puck and then cream him. Why do you think you see so many guys pull up in those situations?

I sometimes think this too, but then I think this is also something that sounds a lot better in theory and may not be practical. It can be argued that practically anything has the potential to cause debilitating injury. Any highstick could potentially blind someone, any crosscheck could potentially break bones, any hit along the boards could potentially separate a shoulder, any trip could potentially cause tears to knee ligaments, etc. How would you define the guidelines so that refs would be able to make consistent calls?

[Chadd 916]

How would you coach a defenseman to play otherwise?

I've been a big proponent of suspending guys based on the potential for injury of a play and not on the actual result of the play. The issue on this type of hit is that coaches are teaching kids to let the other guy get the puck and then cream him. Why do you think you see so many guys pull up in those situations?

I sometimes think this too, but then I think this is also something that sounds a lot better in theory and may not be practical. It can be argued that practically anything has the potential to cause debilitating injury. Any highstick could potentially blind someone, any crosscheck could potentially break bones, any hit along the boards could potentially separate a shoulder, any trip could potentially cause tears to knee ligaments, etc. How would you define the guidelines so that refs would be able to make consistent calls?

Fight for the puck. Even if you don't win the race, it's much more likely that the other guy won't be able to make a clean play on the puck and get it to a teammate.

It would have to be up to the league and not the ref. Hits from behind and head shots are the obvious areas to watch. The stuff that isn't a real hockey play is pretty obvious when you watch it. Replacing the current hockey operations people in the NHL would help immensely at this point.

[greech 4]

I have said this since the Bert mess ... Until someone dies, and it will happen at this rate, the NHL will do very little.

They need to set an example, depending on the infraction, either suspend for a very long time or a life ban.

Ponty, you're spot on. There seems to be a lack of respect in the NHL right now; between shots to the head, cross-checks to the face, hits from behind, it WILL catch up to the NHL and it won't be pretty. The biggest example that sticks out for me was Armstrong on Eaves in the semifinals last year. Should Eaves have had his head down coming around the net? No. But does that mean he deserved to get smoked in the head with an elbow? No, not at all.