Ballard at it again

[Skoda10 14]

Admittedly I am biased as an Avs fan. Looks like a clear intent to make contact with the goalie to me though.

I don't buy this "oh he was falling down, being pushed, going too fast" these guys have the skill to stop on a dime, change direction whenever, they certainly could twist to fall without hitting the goalie.

If the NHL wants to stop the running of the goalie, just bring back the nets that don't move, no one will be driving towards the post then ;)

I hope Andy's not hurt that bad, I'm sure they are being overly cautious because he is the only hope we have for winning games this year.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I think Foote should probobly get a game or two for going after a defensless player....but that won't happen.

[english15x 3]

I feel we all see this play all the time, i really don't see the big deal in all of this as in compared to any other guy running the net. he was trying to cut to the middle and get himself a scoring chance but obviously ran out of room. this is really no different than anything else. poor ballard ha " best week ever" for this guy.

[Skoda10 14]

He wasn't really defenseless, he turtled up pretty good. Could Foote be suspended a game maybe? Sure, but is what he did a million times better than the 50 fights/scrums after every good clean hit? Yes.

It's funny to me how there is always talk about standing up for teammates, but now that a goalie gets run and the D does what they are suppossed to everyone wants him suspended.

[ReggieDunlop 3]

Does Florida play the Cryers any time soon? - like to see him try to do against Emery! 3 goalies in a month - can it be done?

[dsjunior1388 81]

are you kidding me? what a joke. he barely touched him. anderson is a puss. I mean, comeon, you have a helmet on that will protect you from 100mph shots and you flop like hasek after being grazed by a player falling down. footes a punk too, he's the only cdn hockey player i hate.

Maybe we should check with Vokoun on how powerfully protective the helmets are.

[K9 Unit 1]

are you kidding me? what a joke. he barely touched him. anderson is a puss. I mean, comeon, you have a helmet on that will protect you from 100mph shots and you flop like hasek after being grazed by a player falling down. footes a punk too, he's the only cdn hockey player i hate.

Mike Smith disagrees with you:

http://www.youtube.com/user/joe2blade#p/f/105/PBoncAdclb0

lol had to post this nabakov gets it in the special place

[EBondo 233]

are you kidding me? what a joke. he barely touched him. anderson is a puss. I mean, comeon, you have a helmet on that will protect you from 100mph shots and you flop like hasek after being grazed by a player falling down. footes a punk too, he's the only cdn hockey player i hate.

Mike Smith disagrees with you:

http://www.youtube.com/user/joe2blade#p/f/105/PBoncAdclb0

lol had to post this nabakov gets it in the special place

I believe Brian Boucher would disagree as well.

[dsjunior1388 81]

are you kidding me? what a joke. he barely touched him. anderson is a puss. I mean, comeon, you have a helmet on that will protect you from 100mph shots and you flop like hasek after being grazed by a player falling down. footes a punk too, he's the only cdn hockey player i hate.

Mike Smith disagrees with you:

http://www.youtube.com/user/joe2blade#p/f/105/PBoncAdclb0

lol had to post this nabakov gets it in the special place

I believe Brian Boucher would disagree as well.

Curtis Joseph has something to say.

[eric42434224 1]

Were after Keith Ballard! Get him!! Suspend him!! KIIIILLLLL HIIIMMM!!

He is doing things like running goalies and swinging sticks at the net.

Yes they are things that players do every night, but HE is different!!!

He must be stopped!! HE is a menace to hockey and society in general!

[english15x 3]

Were after Keith Ballard! Get him!! Suspend him!! KIIIILLLLL HIIIMMM!!

He is doing things like running goalies and swinging sticks at the net.

Yes they are things that players do every night, but HE is different!!!

He must be stopped!! HE is a menace to hockey and society in general!

pretty much sums up everyones take on this :lol:

[chippa13 1844]

That does not look like he did that on purpose.

He made every attempt to drive the middle of the net and no attempt to avoid the goalie. While it may not have been intentional, it was certainly reckless and that was enough to condemn Ovechkin.

I've never liked those kind of *ahem* scoring attempts. The NHL allowing all of those Smyth goals caused this.

[Law Goalie 147]

are you kidding me? what a joke. he barely touched him. anderson is a puss. I mean, comeon, you have a helmet on that will protect you from 100mph shots and you flop like hasek after being grazed by a player falling down.

Have you never actually looked at a goalie's mask?

The backplate is free floating. It offers practically zero protection from anything other than a glancing blow because it offers no crush resistance.

Masks are designed to do one thing: disperse a localised frontal impact.

Same thing with the C/A. Most guys in the NHL have an absolutely minimal nylon harness with no padding across their backs.

But oh, no, let's run them anyway. It's like the Nascar crash of hockey, right?-- and we all know what the plebes like.

[goblue9280 33]

I don't think Ballard made contact intentionally, but he certainly made a risky hockey move by cutting that hard at the net. It's simple really, you have to be in control of your body... just like inadvertent high sticking penalties. You have a guy standing still, and another crashing at him full speed... the rules have to be set up to protect the defenseless player.

[J22 0]

Just took out Anderson on a drive via a collision. Could argue the hit either way but he did not try to get out of the way of Anderson like he should have.

Foote promptly kicked the shit out of him.

This play on its own is one thing but this as well as the one earlier.

The guy is just a punk bitch.

I am sorry but the only "punk bitch" i see in the video is the one who is punching a guy who has his back turned and is on his knees.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Just took out Anderson on a drive via a collision. Could argue the hit either way but he did not try to get out of the way of Anderson like he should have.

Foote promptly kicked the shit out of him.

This play on its own is one thing but this as well as the one earlier.

The guy is just a punk bitch.

I am sorry but the only "punk bitch" i see in the video is the one who is punching a guy who has his back turned and is on his knees.

Agreed. Foote overreacted.

[ponty 0]

Just took out Anderson on a drive via a collision. Could argue the hit either way but he did not try to get out of the way of Anderson like he should have.

Foote promptly kicked the shit out of him.

This play on its own is one thing but this as well as the one earlier.

The guy is just a punk bitch.

I am sorry but the only "punk bitch" i see in the video is the one who is punching a guy who has his back turned and is on his knees.

Agreed. Foote overreacted.

OK "Dr Evil." As I said in the thread its my opinion. No need to get your pants in a hot "magma."

[eric42434224 1]

Just took out Anderson on a drive via a collision. Could argue the hit either way but he did not try to get out of the way of Anderson like he should have.

Foote promptly kicked the shit out of him.

This play on its own is one thing but this as well as the one earlier.

The guy is just a punk bitch.

I am sorry but the only "punk bitch" i see in the video is the one who is punching a guy who has his back turned and is on his knees.

Agreed. Foote overreacted.

OK "Dr Evil." As I said in the thread its my opinion. No need to get your pants in a hot "magma."

I dont see anyone even remotely getting upset. They stated their position as opinion as well.

[ddbowdoin 0]

is it just me ... I don't see ANY fault in that play. Stuff like that happens in games when you're talking about 110% full tilt/full speed NHL hockey

[eric42434224 1]

is it just me ... I don't see ANY fault in that play. Stuff like that happens in games when you're talking about 110% full tilt/full speed NHL hockey

It is not just you.

[goblue9280 33]

is it just me ... I don't see ANY fault in that play. Stuff like that happens in games when you're talking about 110% full tilt/full speed NHL hockey

Yes, stuff like that happens unintentionally all the time... it is part of the game. However, the league/officials still have the responsibility to enforce rules aimed at minimizing these incidents in order to protect a vulnerable player. Ballard made a hard play but he has to realize that taking that angle at that speed can result in those collisions... it is his job to be in control of his body and make sure he doesn't go barreling into the goalie. On that play, he was not in control. I have no problem with the penalty call.

[eric42434224 1]

Did the defenseman influence his ability to control himself? It is not as if he was skating in alone.

Not saying it was a penalty one way or the other, but in the game of hockey, it isnt always up to the player to remain in total control.

[Skoda10 14]

Did the defenseman influence his ability to control himself? It is not as if he was skating in alone.

Not saying it was a penalty one way or the other, but in the game of hockey, it isnt always up to the player to remain in total control.

Having Clark defending you is basically skating in all alone.

[goblue9280 33]

Did the defenseman influence his ability to control himself?

From my viewing of the replays, I don't think the defenseman affected his ability to control himself. You may see it differently, and that's a valid point. However, I still contend that Ballard was barreling at the goal post and never made an attempt to slow up, or change course.

I'll give you that a lot of people see it as a borderline call. But even if I were to agree with you that it is a borderline call, I think the league and officials should take the position of protecting the vulnerable player... and thus I feel confident that the right call (penalizing Ballard) was made.

[eric42434224 1]

I thought I saw the defensmen lean and Ballard lifted a skate up off the ice. He did seem to be a bit off balance at the end. JMO.