Mike Augello: Wednesday's Buzzcast Discusses Big Hitting In Playoffs

Great read Mike

Lucky to only get one game. What are you smoking. That hit was a body check and actually should have gotten nothing more than a 2 minute penalty. You can tell that you are a Flyer fan and have no respect for the team at the other end of the state.

Lucky to only get one game. What are you smoking. That hit was a body check and actually should have gotten nothing more than a 2 minute penalty. You can tell that you are a Flyer fan and have no respect for the team at the other end of the state.
- holeinone

late hit on a player without the puck...didnt the caps guy get 3 games for that?

Lucky to only get one game. What are you smoking. That hit was a body check and actually should have gotten nothing more than a 2 minute penalty. You can tell that you are a Flyer fan and have no respect for the team at the other end of the state.
- holeinone

Read more. Post less.

Here's what i don't like about the Letang suspension. Johanson is seen to be coming up from a bent down position. I remember seeing the play 2 days ago and I would consider it a "late hit" but a good one.

I've heard people say his skates came off the ice which i can imagine could happen with him trying to clobber the other guy as hard as he can.

With the speed of the game comes decision we need to make. A good way to eliminate these kind of situations and injuries are to remove the 1/2 second "late hit" buffer that players are used to having. If you watch most the head injuries come from a late hit (Guy passed/shot the puck , not looking at player coming toward him).

I know in this situation that the head was not touched and no injury was substained but if we had removed the late hits , players would have to get rid of their "I'm gonna kill you ,n o matter what happens" which is probably what happened in this situation with Letang.

Anyways , long story short, if Johanson is standing tall , i think it passes as a clean/good hit. But how far are we ready to change the game for the safety of our players ?

Lucky to only get one game. What are you smoking. That hit was a body check and actually should have gotten nothing more than a 2 minute penalty. You can tell that you are a Flyer fan and have no respect for the team at the other end of the state.
- holeinone

Headshot. Left his skates. End of story.

Here's what i don't like about the Letang suspension. Johanson is seen to be coming up from a bent down position. I remember seeing the play 2 days ago and I would consider it a "late hit" but a good one.

I've heard people say his skates came off the ice which i can imagine could happen with him trying to clobber the other guy as hard as he can.

With the speed of the game comes decision we need to make. A good way to eliminate these kind of situations and injuries are to remove the 1/2 second "late hit" buffer that players are used to having. If you watch most the head injuries come from a late hit (Guy passed/shot the puck , not looking at player coming toward him).

I know in this situation that the head was not touched and no injury was substained but if we had removed the late hits , players would have to get rid of their "I'm gonna kill you ,n o matter what happens" which is probably what happened in this situation with Letang.

Anyways , long story short, if Johanson is standing tall , i think it passes as a clean/good hit. But how far are we ready to change the game for the safety of our players ?
- ravanah

He was bent over, but rising back up, and Letang still felt the need to jump up and drive his shoulder into Johansson's head.

It's all about the forecheck. I'm not dumb enough to think the Stars couldn't take this series to 7, but if the Blues keep forechecking like they did last night, this series could be over in a hurry.

Lucky to only get one game. What are you smoking. That hit was a body check and actually should have gotten nothing more than a 2 minute penalty. You can tell that you are a Flyer fan and have no respect for the team at the other end of the state.
- holeinone

The guy was already tangled up with a player maybe 2 - wreckless hit IMO

Lucky to only get one game. What are you smoking. That hit was a body check and actually should have gotten nothing more than a 2 minute penalty. You can tell that you are a Flyer fan and have no respect for the team at the other end of the state.
- holeinone

please stop the Q-tip before you hit resistance

Only reason he was suspended is because of the Orpik Maata incident the game before. The right call was made on the ice 2 minute minor for the tiny bit of lateness on the hit. There is almost no head contact and every hit Ovi throughs tonight his feet will be higher off the ice. I think Marcus was in pain for the wind that got knocked out of him.

He was bent over, but rising back up, and Letang still felt the need to jump up and drive his shoulder into Johansson's head.
- wolfhounds

In the split second he had to make that decision , i'm pretty sure he wanted to check him but didn't aime for the head ....



He didn't lift his elbow and it was a shoulder check .... Again i don't care for Letang , i'm not a Pits fan but i don't think this hit was as bad as some tend to say so . (coming back to my late hit argument)

In the split second he had to make that decision , i'm pretty sure he wanted to check him but didn't aime for the head ....



He didn't lift his elbow and it was a shoulder check .... Again i don't care for Letang , i'm not a Pits fan but i don't think this hit was as bad as some tend to say so . (coming back to my late hit argument)
- ravanah

Meh...it's worth a game IMO

Puck was gone....he lifts himself into his head.

Not that I care about either team

Headshot. Left his skates. End of story.
- wolfhounds

Head wasnt the principle point of contact, the chest was. But it was late, so Im completely ok with the one game. Especially given he should have got more in the first round and got lucky that DOPS is really bad at their job.

If Orpik doesn't 'elbow' Maatta in the head in a targeted hit - that is not comparable to Letangs, we aren't talking about this.

What does everyone think about Wilsons knee on knee to Sheary? Suspendable?

Just for the record, Barry Trotz defended the Orpik hit! (& Wilsons knee on knee).

Said he thought it was fine didn't he? So why does he start crying to any journo that wants to listen that Letangs wasn't ok? Orpik = good, Letang = bad!

I'm pretty surprised at the crying that the Caps players & coach did after game 3, I didn't hear "Orpik should be suspended", from any Pens players, only the coach - & he was right due to losing his #2 Dman to an intentional head shot!

Did Tangers hit cause anyone off the ice in a daze?? (No just put a player in a brace before the hearing the next day!!!!).

Caps =

Lucky to only get one game. What are you smoking. That hit was a body check and actually should have gotten nothing more than a 2 minute penalty. You can tell that you are a Flyer fan and have no respect for the team at the other end of the state.
- holeinone

Players get two minute penalties for "body checks" now?

Players get two minute penalties for "body checks" now?
- Cptmjl

apparently

Players get two minute penalties for "body checks" now?
- Cptmjl

And also suspensions.