Cullen hit

[Spreedizzle 1]

In the Hurricanes at Rangers game tonight there was a huge hit laid out by Colton Orr on former Ranger Matt Cullen. For those that saw the game understand that there was a 5 minute interference call (initiated in the rule book this season for large hits immediately after release of the puck) and Cullen was injured pretty seriously. Initial reports are a cut on his face (from his visor) and a concussion. Looking at the hit (sorry..a video link isn't posted anywhere yet) do you feel that a suspension will be passed down by the league office on Orr? Do you think that the suspension is just? Do you feel that it was a clean hit a part of the game?

[li7039 0]

He better not get suspended. Cullen moved the puck less than a second before the hit and if Colton laid off he would have been the one that got hurt

[Spreedizzle 1]

The main reason that I raise the question is that the league office thus far this season has been quite strict with regards to hits that are either "high" or that end up in injury....whether a clean hit, or an illegal hit. I never watch the game for injuries as they are simply a part of the game, but I do not feel that suspensions need to be dished out on every hit that unfortunately leads to the opposing playing being injured. It will be interesting to see how the league office plays this one out with their recent track record this season with regards to hits that lead to injury.

[li7039 0]

Al said that Matt Cullen was fine as well

[kovalchuk71 212]

It looked like Orr's head was down and he was bracing himself. I couldnt really tell. What Avery did was straightup uncalled for. What a prick.

You guys avatars are confusing me LOL

[li7039 0]

You hate avery because you don't have him. Also Prucha gets hit like this all the time and no one gets called for it.

[mik3 1]

I hate Avery because how much of a hypocrite jackass with diarrhea of the mouth he was during the lockout.

Respectable 75% of the time as a player, not as a person.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Naw comeon dude, you don't try to punch a guy after the ref holds you off and pushes you away.

[QandA 0]

Avery and Walker would be a good match.

[li7039 0]

I bet all of Ranger Nation hated avery until he got to NY. I would bet that if he wound up with the thrashers there fans would love him just as much as we love him now

crappy video but

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_g2WyoNSu30

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

Orr's hit was a charge (due to distance traveled), and a major for charging because Cullen got hurt. I'm not expecting follow up, because his hands were in and Cullens head was down. It's unfortunate. Orr really didnt have any time to pull out once Cullens head went down, it was a split second.

I guess I'm saying the check was clean, but because he went out of his way it made it a charge, and major because of the injury (minor had he not been hurt).

Avery I do hate because hes not on my team, but he does his job well. However, his uppercut under the linesman was a pretty low move.

[hockeyplaya97 0]

Better Video:

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

the msg angles make it look like his hands were higher than i initially thought... but i dont think there will be follow-up. still not at his head though.

[li7039 0]

Orr's hit was a charge (due to distance traveled), and a major for charging because Cullen got hurt. I'm not expecting follow up, because his hands were in and Cullens head was down. It's unfortunate. Orr really didnt have any time to pull out once Cullens head went down, it was a split second.

I guess I'm saying the check was clean, but because he went out of his way it made it a charge, and major because of the injury (minor had he not been hurt).

Avery I do hate because hes not on my team, but he does his job well. However, his uppercut under the linesman was a pretty low move.

that was not a charge. Watch the first video and Orr is staying with the man that he is covering. Also I thought that avery hit the lines man but after seeing the replay he did NOT hit the lines man

[UMWhockey 0]

I agree, no charge on the play. His hands looked high after the hit had happened, but at point of contact his hands were in Cullen's chest. What made the hit so bad was how Cullen's head hit the ice. To be honest, I really don't think there should have even been a call on the play. Cullen needs to pick his head up if he is going to cut through the middle of the ice like that.

[D-MaN88 0]

Looks like a good clean hit to me. Yes his hands were high per say but they weren't at his head and he hit him with his shoulder. Like everyone else is saying once again the force of the hit makes the follow-through look bad.

If anything once again Cullen should have his head up cutting through the middle especially making a drop pass like that when Colton Orr is on the ice.

Shouldn't have been a penalty and I don't see any suspension coming from this, at least there shouldn't be. Never know seeing as how the NHL and discipline work.

[sjsharks11 0]

behind the back drop passes are not a good idea in general. some serious whiplash going on there as well

[Theo 1]

I loved Cullen and hated to see it, but it was no charge. Elbows were down. Hands and arms were against chest. Cullen was looking down. Orr is such a piss poor skater it is not like he had him timed or lined up perfectly on purpose. Was more of Orr bracing himself than a hit, to add.

As far as Avery, he shouldn't have thrown punches during that later scrum, but than again the officials shouldn't have held him up and not Ladd. That is BS. And the Orr call was simply made up out of thin air.

[Spreedizzle 1]

I loved Cullen and hated to see it, but it was no charge. Elbows were down. Hands and arms were against chest. Cullen was looking down. Orr is such a piss poor skater it is not like he had him timed or lined up perfectly on purpose. Was more of Orr bracing himself than a hit, to add.

As far as Avery, he shouldn't have thrown punches during that later scrum, but than again the officials shouldn't have held him up and not Ladd. That is BS. And the Orr call was simply made up out of thin air.

The Orr call was the only call that the officials could give him based on what happened. A 5 min major for elbowing wasn't an option as he had his own arms infront of his chest. Charging wasn't an option as he wasn't "head hunting" and lining him up from across the ice. He was simply following the play of the puck carrier, Cullen just decided to make a drop pass with his head down at a very inopportune time. The 5 min major for interference was instigated into the rules this year for instances very similar to this. But the rule was put in place for aggressive and injuring hits that were done away from the puck.

Personally....I agree with a handful of people here that it was a clean hit, and did not constitute a penalty. I never like to see anyone in the NHL get injured, and it was simply unfortunate for Cullen to leave the game the way that he did.

[Theo 1]

Many media outlets and announcers think the interference call was bogus as well, so that was not the right call either.

The right call was no call. Shanny talked to a ref right after the play and the ref said there would be no call. Then the refs met together and they made up the phantom one- Only because Cullen was injured

[Law Goalie 147]

Orr was obviously targetting Cullen's head. Whether or not it's a clean hit by precedent or by the book, it's exactly the kind of hit that has to be taken out of the game.

Orr could have absolutely destroyed him with a shoulder to the chest; instead, he threw himself into Cullen's head. It's got nothing to do with where Orr's hands are, or whether he leads with his elbow or follows through: it's strictly a matter of whether Cullen's head or his torso are the target of Orr's hit.

Yes, Cullen was an idiot for cutting across the middle blind, but there's a difference between punishing a guy with a hit and trying to attack his brain. The situation was Cullen's fault for playing like a nancy when he should have known there were thugs on the ice; the hit itself was a malicious exploit of that opportunity.

What scares me most about these hits is the total lack of remorse. When Shore did in Ace Kelly, he regretted it forever. Orr's going to go right back out and do the same thing, again and again.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Orr's 5 minute major seems correct. High hit, Neil Smith says a broken nose and a concussion. Looks like an elbow/forearm, but it's hard to tell at game speed.

Avery should get a game or two for his sucker punches on Ladd. Poor judgement by the linesman to grab one player and tie him up, while the other was free to throw. They usually don't suspend these (Chara has done it a few times), but it's something that is dangerous and pretty low.

[greech 4]

Orr was obviously targetting Cullen's head. Whether or not it's a clean hit by precedent or by the book, it's exactly the kind of hit that has to be taken out of the game.

Orr could have absolutely destroyed him with a shoulder to the chest; instead, he threw himself into Cullen's head. It's got nothing to do with where Orr's hands are, or whether he leads with his elbow or follows through: it's strictly a matter of whether Cullen's head or his torso are the target of Orr's hit.

Yes, Cullen was an idiot for cutting across the middle blind, but there's a difference between punishing a guy with a hit and trying to attack his brain. The situation was Cullen's fault for playing like a nancy when he should have known there were thugs on the ice; the hit itself was a malicious exploit of that opportunity.

What scares me most about these hits is the total lack of remorse. When Shore did in Ace Kelly, he regretted it forever. Orr's going to go right back out and do the same thing, again and again.

I'm with you there. The thing that bothers me is the people who say it is part of hockey. Yes, by the current rules it may be legal, but is that necessary to seperate Cullen from the puck?

[Theo 1]

Orr was obviously targetting Cullen's head. Whether or not it's a clean hit by precedent or by the book, it's exactly the kind of hit that has to be taken out of the game.

Orr could have absolutely destroyed him with a shoulder to the chest; instead, he threw himself into Cullen's head. It's got nothing to do with where Orr's hands are, or whether he leads with his elbow or follows through: it's strictly a matter of whether Cullen's head or his torso are the target of Orr's hit.

Yes, Cullen was an idiot for cutting across the middle blind, but there's a difference between punishing a guy with a hit and trying to attack his brain. The situation was Cullen's fault for playing like a nancy when he should have known there were thugs on the ice; the hit itself was a malicious exploit of that opportunity.

What scares me most about these hits is the total lack of remorse. When Shore did in Ace Kelly, he regretted it forever. Orr's going to go right back out and do the same thing, again and again.

Watch it again. Only part of Orr that hit Cullen's head was Orr's head. Orr's hands/arms all found Cullen's chest. Throwing yourself implies jumping as well and Orr had his feet on the ground through the duration. It was little more than bracing himself. Not to mention Orr had not made any strides since he turned into the center ice direction. He coasted right into it,

No hands, arms, elbows ever made contact with Cullen's head though.

Both refs had not one of their four arms between them raised during or after the hit because they could not find fault on the hit.

Lastly, quote:

Remember the good old days when we'd be talking about how Cullen deserved to be hit for having his head down cutting across the trolly tracks?

You put yourself in a vulnerable position, you get hit hard. That's how it's always been folks. Guarantee you Cullen says it's his fault and that's how the game is played.

[Theo 1]

"CULLEN SCARE: A puck-carrying Cullen was criss-crossing with linemate Cory Stillman when he slammed into Orr. The Rangers winger tucked his arms in as if to brace for the impact and the players' heads collided, leaving Orr with three cuts while Cullen was knocked cold before he hit the ice face-first. After a few seconds lying face-down, Cullen was able to move and skate off with help from trainers. The Hurricanes said he suffered a broken nose but would not call his being knocked unconscious a concussion. Strangely, Orr was assessed a major penalty for interference. ... "

"They overcame an obscene display of officiating from a four-man unit that had no control of the match at all, and simply invented a major penalty against Colton Orr midway through the second period when he caught Matt Cullen carrying the puck with his head down cutting from right to left in the offensive zone and sent him to the ice face-first in a collision that could not be avoided."

The Cane announcers:

"After 5 minutes listening to the hillbilly announcers, they went over everything looking for a penalty. Where was his stick?...his elbow? Shoulder? Oh...where was the puck. Was it charging...how long did he skate before contact? Finally, they concluded it was a legal hit despite the color guy still not happy...however, the refs...an interference and MAJOR. "