Why don't you stick it up your arse, then

[mirrorballmoon]

The NHL rules very clearly state that if anyone instigates a fight in the last five minutes of a game, or in overtime, they will sit out the next game. It's an automatic suspension

Comments

[caitlin]

I will point out to you that the "Instigator in the last 5 minutes = automatic suspension" rule is VERY LOOSELY (read: NOT) enforced.

How do I know this?

Well... Kyle Turris (PHX) started a fight with Kris Versteeg (CHI) earlier this season with a minute left in the game. Versteeg got the Instigator and a 10 minute misconduct because his jersey tie down was not secured (he'd taken it down because he doesn't fight AND he figured nothing was going to happen... he admitted to it). He was not suspended.

This is not preferential treatment.

As for Detroit not whining... they DID whine about the back-to-back schedule for game 1 and 2. And some people said this was in favour of Pittsburgh. Umm... Last I checked, the Pens did not make up the schedule. That is GARY BETTMAN's domain. (I hate him. I really really HATE him)

As for crying... I don't understand how it is that you can be supportive of Susan Boyle but then turn right around and laugh or make fun when a professional athlete (ANY of them) cries. You are aware of the fact that Sidney Crosby is 21 years old, right? That hockey has been HIS ENTIRE LIFE, right?

Crying IS a normal, healthy outlet for emotion. It is when people (not saying you specifically, mind) start trying to bottle it up and not feel anything or demean/denounce/discredit how other people SHOULD feel or act that people run into problems with mental health. I know. I've run into problems doing that.

[mirrorballmoon]

Why have the rule at all then, if people are just going go "wtf rules" and get angry? It's not unreasonable to expect it to be enforced if it's in the book. What's it take for them to enforce their own rules?

It sets a precedent I'm not happy with - hockey's a high risk sport, everyone knows that, but if players start pushing the envelope elsewhere because they know they won't get suspended...

Gary Bettman - is a dick. And one that very often looks like he's in certain team's pockets, although admittedly not always Pittsburgh's. You can argue that the Ovie hype machine was getting way too out of hand before the Caps exit, too, even I will admit that.

As for crying I think I should've worded that better. I didn't mean crying as in actually bursting into tears because honestly, I haven't seen that a whole hell of a lot in hockey. I mean the running to the ref "mommy!" type of exaggeration where I know full well nobody's crying furreals but that's the image I get in my head.

And yes, it is the captain's job to talk to the refs. It just seems that Sidney does it so much more than any other captain, to my eyes. And usually when there's nothing even worth whining about!

I'm not going to turn into some douchebag Wings fan. I just can't stand the Penguins and think they are utterly overrated. And I feel bad for the ones who aren't Crosby Malkin Gonchar or Fleury - because nobody else even warrants a mention, these days.

[caitlin]

I don't know why they have that rule. The AHL does enforce it tho.

As for the Penguins being overrated, Miroslav Satan should be in that list too if you REALLY wanna talk overrated. I don't know if you knew he was on the Pens tho.

Crosby and Malkin are over exposed... Gonchar is getting old, and I think Fleury needs more development time (he's 24). Satan, tho... THAT is overrated. I can name more Pens than that: Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Bill Guerin (although I'm not sure how much he counts)... even Brooks Orpik, but that's me.

I'm personally tired of Detroit winning all the damn time (AND I can't stand Marian Hossa. But that goes back to 2000)...

[mirrorballmoon]

I can name a few. :) It's just that none of them get a terrible amount of attention. Chris Kunitz is another one, is he not Crosby's linemate? He's hockey's equivalent of the drummer in a band! Clearly important, but not enough to warrant the attention...

[caitlin]

Kunitz, Craig Adams, etc. Although admittedly I forget Kunitz because he was a Duck for so long. *wry*

Detroit took out Martin Havlat and Nikolai Khabibulin in the previous round. Considering they were two of Chicago's best players, I DO consider it 'taking out'. Because they're both injured by intentional plays.

[caitlin]

And in regards to the "running to the ref" thing... Yzerman did it, Gretzky did it, Ray Bourque did it... Jonathan Toews does it too. I don't think it's so much "running to the refs 'mommy!'" type as much as it is wanting an explanation of the call or whatever.

I've noticed that the really good players (not just Crosby) tend to do that too... where they go to the ref and ask for an explanation for a call. Ovie does do it sometimes.