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NYR 3 BUF 2, SO, Kaleta Hit | Rangers Respond In Right Way |NHL Gives 5 Gms

March 4, 2013, 11:50 AM ET [639 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Rangers extended their win streak to two in a wild, 3-2 shootout win over the Sabres but the end result has mostly been lost in the rightful consternation over the hit by Patrick Kaleta to Brad Richards early in the third period.

Game Highlights:



Trailing 1-0, 3:28 into the third, the tone of the game changed following the hit by Kaleta. For all those who have argued that the lack of intent and maliciousness should be a reason why no suspension is warranted, all I can say is that maybe that is a reason why the hearing will not be in person, but the hit itself has to a key factor when determining the penalty. Intent and malice play a factor into the extent of the possible suspension but should decide if a suspension is warranted.

Here is the hit:



As I said last night in my comments on the blog: It's a shove from behind to the back of a player who is attempting to play the puck and when contact is made, he is basically defenseless because both hands are on his stick. Because of that and his length from the boards, Richards, when he is pushed, ends up going face first into the boards, jamming his head and shoulders. The push from the back and length that Richards is from the boards is why the game misconduct was called and also why a suspension should occur because it is a reckless and dangerous play to a player who can't defend himself, regardless of that was the intent. Richards' ability to return to action will be a mitigant into the extent of the suspension, since injuries and length thereof are a factor in determining that.

I have seen comments saying he was embellishing or even faking. To that, all I can say is be happy he got his arm up a bit as if he hit head first and straight on, rather than a slight bend to his head, we would all be talking about a much worse and potentially career-ending and crippling injury this morning. You have heard me speak and read me complaining about the lack of respect that exists between players in the league. This is another clear-cut exhibit of it. A vulnerable player is pushed from behind far enough from the boards that if he loses his balance, as was the case here, the ramifications are tremendous. If you want to argue that Dan Girardi's boarding of Tyler Ennis warranted a suspension, I could see the rationale, since on the play, Ennis' head hit the glass, even though it was a play where Girardi wasn't lining him up as he was going for the puck. In addition, Ennis bounced right off him as the hit was somewhat from the side and went right back into the play. In this case, Kaleta was behind him and there was no rational reason to check Richards in his back. When you also factor in Kaleta's reputation to the hit itself, I expect to see a 3-4 game suspension.

I know that everyone is calling for Frontier Justice and how the Rangers should have responded differently. In my opinion, the response was more than appropriate. Michael Del Zotto and Ryan Callahan did immediately stick up for Richards but wisely did not get a penalty. At the time, you are trailing 1-0, already have a man advantage and looking at a 5-on-3 for 1:28 based on the penalty call. The response then is to score and at worse tie the game up, dealing with Kaleta can wait for another time. That penalty rightly angered the Rangers, firing them up. Seven seconds later, Derek Stepan scored to even it. Forty-three seconds after that Rick Nash, who was phenomenal again, other than almost putting the puck in his own net late in OT, gave the team a 2-1 lead with Marian Gaborik, remember him, assisting on both goals. Granted, Nathan Gerbe tied it short-handed, but the emotion that the Rangers coupled with a riled up crowd were huge factors in the win. The two goals were exactly the response you want there. You want to take a stupid penalty or run at us, we will make you pay on the scoreboard. There is a time and place for a different more physical response, last night, at that moment was not the time.

Maybe, just maybe, this unfortunate incident will be the taking off point that the Rangers need this season. At least for one night, the Rangers responded to the challenge presented before them. Let's see if the NHL and Brendan Shanahan respond the right way as well.
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