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Palmieri Equals Block Head

December 9, 2016, 10:55 AM ET [20 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Updated:

95% of all goals in today's NHl are scored in the dirty areas: the 4' x 4' area between the hashmarks and the goal crease. There are only a handful of players---Shea Weber, Jack Eichel, Patrik Laine, Alex Ovechkin-- in today's game who can beat an NHL goalie with their shot. THe rest all have to maufacture goal scoring chances while playing Whack-A-Mole with the goalie.

On a nightly basis, we are seeing goals being reviewed and disallowed due to illegal contact with the keeper and gaolie interference.

On Thursday night, we saw a gratuitous, graphic example of the NHL goalie union fighting this recent trend of smear-the-goalie.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price literally lost his (bleep) when he was bowled over by New Jersey forward Kyle Palmieri who accidentally on purpose bowled over the All-World goalie.

Rather than accept and ignore the abuse, Price fed Palmieri a ten course meal of jack hammer punches with his blocker.



“It seems to be the nature of the league. Go to the net, run the goalie over and score a goal,” Price said Friday. “You just gotta stick up for yourself once in a while.”


According to reports, Price will not face any further discipline from the NHL for blunt force with the blocker.


The melee was on after Palmieri wiped out Price in the dying moments of the first period of the Habs' 5-2 win over the Devils.

Palmieri bowled over Price, who immediately hooped to his blades and pounded Palmieri's head and torso with his blocker.











After the game, Habs haters took to Twitter to petition the NHL Department of Player Safety to call Price for a hearing to discuss his actions against Palmieri.

The haters should al' shut the hell up.


Price was justified in doing whgat he did to Palmieri. On November 25, 2015, Price blew out his right knee and missed 70 games as a result of illegal contact. At the time of hi sinjury, Price was 10-2-0 with a 2.06 GAA and .934 save %. This season, Price is 15-3-1 with a 1.86 GAA and .940 save %.

Clearly, Price is telling NHL pukes to stay out of hi screase, or else. Price is 6'3" and 240 lbs. I pity the fools who choose to bump, hack and smash him in his crease.


The NHL rule book states a goaltender who punches a player with his blocker can be assessed an intent-to-injure penalty and subsequently be ejected from the game. Had Price injured Palmieri on the play he would have been assessed a major penalty, an ejection and an automatic suspension pending further review from the NHL Department of Player Safety.


Price was properly assessed two, two minute roughing minor penalties.



My take:

I applaud Price for punching Palmieri the way that he did. I love Price's fire and desire. Palmieri got what he had coming. I'll be willing to bet you that Palmieri will never pull that crap on Price again.













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Fun Fact:

The Buffalo Sabres have lost 141 man games to injury this season.

Cody McCormick (blood clots) has missed the first 26 games of the season. Zach Bogosian (MCL) has missed the last 17 games and is still weeks away from returning. Tyler Ennis (groin surgery) has missed the last 14 games. Defenseman Taylor Fedun has missed the past two games with a shoulder issue.

There is good news regarding Buffalo's walking wounded. Three veterans are rehabbed and ready for battle.

Energy man Nic Deslauriers (knee) has missed the last 19 games, however, skated on Friday morning


Dmitry Kulikov (lower back) has missed the past 13 games with a serious lower back injury.


Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma to Dan Dunleavy on "The Instigators" radio program that Kulikov will play tonight versus Washington.

Josh Gorges has missed the past three games with a non-dispaced foot fracture. Gorges skated on Thursday and again on Friday and will play tonight. In 23 games this season, Gorges is averaging 19 minutes TOI.

If I were Dan Bylsma, I would have kept Gorges in street clothes tonight and given a fourth consecutive start to rookie Brendan Guhle who has been super impressive in his games against Boston, Washington and Edmonton. Guhle, an emergency call up and will be returned to his junior club due to Kukilov and Gorges returning to the starting lineup. The Sabres host the LA Kings on Tuesday night. In his three games with the big boys, Guhle averaged 15 minutes TOI with 8 hits, 4 SOG and was +1.

Personally, I would have told Gorges to eat popcorn tonight in the owner's suite and make his return against Kopitar and the Kings.





Justin Falk will be sent back to Rochester.

Disco Dan marches to the beat of a different drummer though.

The Sabres are 5-2-2 in their past nine games. They have earned 7 of the possible 10 points in their past five games. Why tempt fate? Why mess with a winning, productive lineup when you don't have to? Why wake a sleeping baby?

Oh, by the way, I'd start Anders Nilsson tonight and not Robin Lehner. Not Danno. I play the hot players and that includes Guhle and Nilsson. Throw 'em bones, Danno.

If Deslauriers returns tonight, Bylsma will have to sit one of Matt Moulson, Derek Grant or Zemgus Girgensons. Deslauriers is a winger and provides light offense. Therefore, it would be injurious to sit Moulson and his 7 goals. Grant is a center/penalty killer and has impressed in his 26 games play. The Savres are ranked 29th on the PK in the NHL right now and perhaps Bylsma sits Grant, moves Zemgus to L4 center and plays Deslauriers on the wing. I would sit Grant and play Deslauriers with Girgensons at center. In recent weeks, there have been NHL scouts watching Girgnsons and the Sabres. As healthy bodies continue to return to the lineup, the likelihood of a trade increases for Tim Murray. There are only 12 forwards and 6 D on the bench at all times.


It's a good headache to have if you are Bylsma.







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Remember waiting patiently for the trickledown?

Jack Eichel's effect on the Buffalo scoring production has been profound in the five games since he returned from his high ankle sprain.


The Eichel-led Sabres are now 3-1-1 in the past five games. In those 5 games, a consortium of players have combined for 16 goals scored.

Eichel has five points in his five games this season (3G,2A)
Rasmus Ristolainen has seven points (1G,6A)
Ryan O'Reilly has six points (2G,4A)
Evander Kane has five points (3G,2A)
Samson Reinhart has five points (1G,4A)
Brian Gionta has three points (1G, 2A)
Kyle Okposo has three points (1G,2A)



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Robin Lehner and Philipp Grubauer are the starters in goal
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