I want to try and get a 3rd party opinion on this.

[maxamillion]

Sorry I haven't been around lately. I haven't been home enough to catch many habs games, so I feel kinda outta the loop right now lol. anyway, I want you guys to take a look at this and give me a god's honest opinion.

I want you to take teams out of it, imagine it's the panthers playing the capitals.

I only see 2 extremist sides to the argument. either it's a bruins fan claiming that hartnell was trying to kill him, and the flyers fans who say it was alberts fault.

what do you guys think?

[simonus]

intent to injure

[Habitforming]

I've seen this 1000 times. It isn't as clear cut as either fan would like to believe.

Hartnell didn't give Alberts the elbow or intentionally head hunt him. He finished his check and shouldn't have. Hartnell was in the wrong, but I don't think a suspension is warranted, he even tried to change his position at the last second to not hit him as flush. Hartnell isn't a dirty player...very hard nosed and tough, but not dirty.

Alberts was doing two maybe three things wrong on this play that all players make unwritten rules out of, and he should accept some responsibility for as well.

1) Always protect yourself and never put yourself in a vulnerable position. (Staying on his knees within three feet of the boards when he could see the hit was coming is foolish)

B] Admiring the pass/play. (This has hurt many players and even cost Steve Moore his career for crushing a player that was doing this. That's another topic )

3) Take the hit to make the play. (It's my opinion that Alberts chose to stay on his knees for so long after making the play because he knew a hit was coming and decided he would be safe if he stayed down. He was wrong and he paid for it immensely. Next time be a man and take the hit.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Habitforming

[JoeLassister]

nasty and useless hit

[MTLHabs]

What I saw is, he looked like he "tried" to stop the hit.

Still his arm pushed his head into the lip between the boards and the glass.

Brutal.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Dirty hit.

He is lucky that he didn't kill the guy.

[lazy26]

Players have to recognize when others are in vulnerable positions. This was such an instance and Hartnell didn't adjust accordingly. There is no need to finish a check when a player is on his knees. This was a reprehensible play, and deserved a steeper penalty. Absolutely disgusting.

[Habsfan]

Hartnell just got a 2 game suspension. I thikn the suspension is warranted. It wasn't a malicious hit, but Alberts was in a very vulnerable position, there was absolutely no need for Hartnell to hit him!

[Trizzak]

Clearly followed through; dirty hit.

[smon]

It's dirty and uncalled for - it's not good enough to blame the victim. Sure, the intent was not to decapitate, but so what? It was still extremely careless.

Hartnell and all NHLers should learn that they can't steamroll guys when they're caught in a vulnerable position like that.

Philly's sure getting a fine reputation.

[maxamillion]

My problem is that, while Hartnell did hit a guy in a vulnerable position, it's not like he flew in like downie did to obliterate him. it wasn't even that hard of a hit. he raised his arms over Alberts head, and caught him with his side. it's another hit that's been shown a million times in slow mo, and rarely at speed, like the jones hit, which makes it look a million times more malicious. either way, My opinion has very little bearing in all of this. it's good to see a little bit of a variety in your responses though.