Clawskulls

And here's hoping they don't sit on that...

I do find it kind of comical they've been penalized for holding and delay of game for both those exchanges....but yeah...Subban has to be smarter than that. If I'm the Bruins, I love losing Marchand for X minutes if Subban goes with him.

I have a sneaking feeling one of the two teams is going to be flat tonight. I'm just hoping it's not the Habs!

Man...anybody but Gomez on the doorstep there...

Call me jaded, but as soon as I heard about the Cooke incident, my second thought (after hoping RMcD was ok) was that this was just what the NHL was hoping for.... An incident with a repeat offender which would allow the NHL to 'throw the book' at somebody to 'prove' to the hockey world that they do indeed take headshots seriously. As an added benefit, it also helps people forget about the non-action with respects to the Chara/Patches incident...something new to talk about. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if Cooke and Gary are pals....

Assuming it's more than just a token statement, I am also very impressed with Air Canada on this. Gotta dig up an e-mail address so I can voice my support to them. Unfortunately, the only way fans could make a similar statement is by banding together (petition?) and hitting the NHL in the pocket book as well...avoid games, merchandise, channels showing hockey, etc. Given how a large chunk of the fanbase believes this horrific incident was "a hockey play gone wrong", I'm not sure there'd be enough traction to get this off the ground. I can say this though....even as a huge hockey fan myself, seeing this example of non-action at the highest level of hockey has definitely raised questions in my mind about whether I'll ever consider putting my own kids into hockey. Intent or not, the NHL has ruled that reckless play by one player resulting in a severe injury of another player is not the offending player's responsibility. I get that this is a sport, but there has to be some sort of accountability.

This is freaking ridiculous. I'm really at a loss here. I figured a 2 game slap on the wrist would be the worst case scenario....sad to see I'm wrong. As long as this crap is tolerated in the NHL, it's going to continue and players are going to keep getting injured, careers are going to keep getting cut short, etc. I just cannot fathom how all of the circumstances in this event added up to bupkiss for Chara... -> Recent past history between players? Check. -> Late in the period? Check. -> Game all but out of reach? Check. That alone would seem to set the stage for at least a minimal suspension. Not in the NHL. I'm also sick and bloody tired of hearing "in any other part of the rink, this is a 2 minute penalty". That has no absolutely bearing on things. Location does play a HUGE role in some penalties. The fact that the same action elsewhere on the ice would not have had the same impact is neither here nor there. When somebody is hit from behind against the boards and their head is crushed against them, does anybody justify it being not so bad by saying "well, if they were in the middle of the ice, this is just a two minute penalty". No. That's a freaking ridiculous argument to make. Yet I'm seeing and hearing this over and over again. The NHL is lucky the Habs don't have anybody that could really do anything serious in retaliation, because this is exactly what leads players to thinking they have to take matters into their own hands, whether right or wrong. The NHL has a responsibility to protect their players. Without the players, there is no product. Yet time and time again, their actions show they don't really care about the individuals that play the game. Unfortunately, some of the players have the same damn attitude which is why this is a problem in the first place.... You can bet now that Chara will have the league protecting his ass if a Habs player so much as sneezes at him when they play again.... Words cannot express how disappointed I am with the league right now...

Seriously? Lucic trying to start one with Benny? Tough guy....

Bah...we had to let the big troll score

Glad to see Price got away with the tackle there

Definitely feels like we're mailing it in the rest of the way...hopefully there's a spark somewhere....

Bruins FAIL!

And now a Bruins penalty shot...

Love to see Eller complete the trick though...

It's going to be hard to play a focused game after that methinks