Based on the amount of hits today, can we sweeten the pot on the mask prize? I'd suggest first place gets the mask AND a couple of old Flyers hockey cards. Like maybe an old Tim Kerr card? Just an idea. Hi kids.

Imagine a world where MS even tried to prevent a goal on that play and the reaction would have been different
- braidan

Yeah, decent chance he could have got his stick in the way if he had reached out instead of just squaring up to try and kill the guy.

One of the things about this incident that is bothering me is how many people are saying that Evans was in a "vulnerable position". This may be true but no one has delved deeper to mention why/how he got into a "vulnerable postion". The answer to that is as clear as how devastatiing that hit was and that is, "Evans knowingly and willingly put himself in that position" all of which could of been avoided if he didn't erroneously think that someone might not try and stop him from putting the puck into an empty net.

With all that said, I think it was a devastating hit, but was charging for which he was penalized. Other than that no head shot, no intent to injure (intent to stop yes but that is far from injure), no launching himself at the opponent.

Will he get suspended; likely, but based on his history and unless they find hidden sea scrolls that uncover where a suspension for this warranted it should be no more than 1 game.

5000$ fine. Suspend anyone who try’s to go after him next game is how it will end up

One of the things about this incident that is bothering me is how many people are saying that Evans was in a "vulnerable position". This may be true but no one has delved deeper to mention why/how he got into a "vulnerable postion". The answer to that is as clear as how devastatiing that hit was and that is, "Evans knowingly and willingly put himself in that position" all of which could of been avoided if he didn't erroneously think that someone might not try and stop him from putting the puck into an empty net.

With all that said, I think it was a devastating hit, but was charging for which he was penalized. Other than that no head shot, no intent to injure (intent to stop yes but that is far from injure), no launching himself at the opponent.

Will he get suspended; likely, but based on his history and unless they find hidden sea scrolls that uncover where a suspension for this warranted it should be no more than 1 game.
- tornado24

Frankly, he was doing a wrap around : he began his motion of it and Scheifele was still at Winny's blue line. You think he doesn't know that Evans is in a vulnerable position ? You simply can't technically process a wrap around with the head up.

So, that's the player's decision to go full speed and crush him, or try to stick the puck before he can bury it. It all comes to that in the end.

Scheifele went for the hit. Intentional. Not preventing the goal. Evans couldn't protect himself AS he began the wrap around.

Now people want penalties called? make up your minds.

Absolutely a dirtbag, senseless act on his part. I get that it's an emotional game, however, it was completely avoidable and now he's going to cost his team the series....selfish prick!
- DraftandDestroy

Totally agree with you. This pos should be gone for the playoffs.

One of the things about this incident that is bothering me is how many people are saying that Evans was in a "vulnerable position". This may be true but no one has delved deeper to mention why/how he got into a "vulnerable postion". The answer to that is as clear as how devastatiing that hit was and that is, "Evans knowingly and willingly put himself in that position" all of which could of been avoided if he didn't erroneously think that someone might not try and stop him from putting the puck into an empty net.

With all that said, I think it was a devastating hit, but was charging for which he was penalized. Other than that no head shot, no intent to injure (intent to stop yes but that is far from injure), no launching himself at the opponent.

Will he get suspended; likely, but based on his history and unless they find hidden sea scrolls that uncover where a suspension for this warranted it should be no more than 1 game.
- tornado24

Thats the thing. People keep saying there was no intent to injure. To me thats just ridiculous. A hockey hit exists to separate a player from the puck. That isnt what happened here.

MS wanted to bulldoze Evans. You cant tell while MS thought Evans would get up from this hit. He was skating at full force to backcheck from the offensive zone. There was no way anyone was going to get up from that hit. He knew what he was doing and a lot of these players do. This one is a clear charge for sure but even with legal big hits, you cant tell me these guys arent looking to hurt one another.

You lay someone out at center ice with a big clean hit, they are not getting up. These guys clearly know when their hit is going to injure someone

5000$ fine. Suspend anyone who try’s to go after him next game is how it will end up
- LeggoLeaf

Yea the Wilson saga all over again except that the Habs have guys that can actually fight unlike my rangers.

I notice a lot of single digit IQ posting that this was a clean hit. No surprise most are Leaf fans and one moron NYI fan. That makes it open season on anyone late in a game as who cares about a 5 minute charging penalty when the game is over. The coward had no intention of stopping a goal. His stick was not engaged. I hope he gets what he deserves with either a suspension or maximum retribution. No wonder hockey enrolment is way down.

Yea the Wilson saga all over again except that the Habs have guys that can actually fight u like my rangers.
- mattstake

The way the calls from the department have been going down this is pretty much what I’m expecting at this point. Raise the viewership of the game just because everyone is going to want to see what comes next.

One of the things about this incident that is bothering me is how many people are saying that Evans was in a "vulnerable position". This may be true but no one has delved deeper to mention why/how he got into a "vulnerable postion". The answer to that is as clear as how devastatiing that hit was and that is, "Evans knowingly and willingly put himself in that position" all of which could of been avoided if he didn't erroneously think that someone might not try and stop him from putting the puck into an empty net.
- tornado24

I'm inclined to agree with this. Being randomly blind-sided somewhere in the neutral zone just because you happen to have your head turned is one thing. Intentionally making yourself vulnerable in an attempt to score a last-minute goal to put a playoff game out of reach is quite a different matter. Evans already succeeded in beating out the icing, and could easily have just wasted time behind the net to eat up the clock. Instead, he decided to try to carry his momentum around the net and score the EN goal, knowing full well that at least 1 or 2 Jets players will be in pursuit. I'm not saying I disagree with the decision Evans made, but he chose to put himself directly in harm's way, and there's a high level of risk in that decision that needs to be acknowledged.

How was he supposed to put the puck in the net with his head up? He's doing a wrap around...
- AdamFrench

This is why Atlanta no longer has a team

Oh? Didn't realize knowing basic rules qualified as being an expert.
- Izzo

Basic rules is knowing players have to skate from one end to the other to play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxBL85rr0jI

frame by frame, MS had a chance to pokecheck the puck but chose not to, so stop with the "trying to prevent a goal" BS
- braidan

Not going to disagree with your point , however slow motion frame by frame has soiled all sports. This game is fast and things happen quickly.

Of course I do. I was mocking him for thinking he's smarter than everyone else because he moderates a blog.
- Kcannon98

So by trying to explain the rules I think I'm smarter?
Wow do you also think I disappear during peek-=a-boo?
- braidan

CLEAN AS FVCK

Nicest hit I've seen since Mccabe on Laine
- DirtyDan

Your name says it all

Not going to disagree with your point , however slow motion frame by frame has soiled all sports. This game is fast and thing happen quickly.
- Leafs24seven

However he had that entire distance he skated to decide on a play to make. His was to throw a body check, he did not try and play the puck whatsoever, which was the thing he needed to stop from going into the net, not the player.

I'm inclined to agree with this. Being randomly blind-sided somewhere in the neutral zone just because you happen to have your head turned is one thing. Intentionally making yourself vulnerable in an attempt to score a last-minute goal to put a playoff game out of reach is quite a different matter. Evans already succeeded in beating out the icing, and could easily have just wasted time behind the net to eat up the clock. Instead, he decided to try to carry his momentum around the net and score the EN goal, knowing full well that at least 1 or 2 Jets players will be in pursuit. I'm not saying I disagree with the decision Evans made, but he chose to put himself directly in harm's way, and there's a high level of risk in that decision that needs to be acknowledged.
- khawk

So he's supposed to not try to score and possibly let WPG come back and score? This is the same backwards thinking saying what MS did was OK because he was trying to prevent a goal. Are you going to say Steve Moore put himself in a vulnerable position because he turned his back to Bertuzzi. MS made no attempt to stop the goal. Why would you try to prevent a goal with your body instead of your stick when the stick would get to the puck quicker than your body to his body?

However he had that entire distance he skated to decide on a play to make. His was to throw a body check, he did not try and play the puck whatsoever, which was the thing he needed to stop from going into the net, not the player.
- FlyerDie

That’s also fair. However we have been taught 2 things. You can use your stick to separate puck from player or you can bodycheck to separate puck from player. MS choose the latter and was ill timed.

Penalty was called and he will get 1-2 games.

But the inconsistency between the way the games are called and the punishments rendered are a problem.

I'm inclined to agree with this. Being randomly blind-sided somewhere in the neutral zone just because you happen to have your head turned is one thing. Intentionally making yourself vulnerable in an attempt to score a last-minute goal to put a playoff game out of reach is quite a different matter. Evans already succeeded in beating out the icing, and could easily have just wasted time behind the net to eat up the clock. Instead, he decided to try to carry his momentum around the net and score the EN goal, knowing full well that at least 1 or 2 Jets players will be in pursuit. I'm not saying I disagree with the decision Evans made, but he chose to put himself directly in harm's way, and there's a high level of risk in that decision that needs to be acknowledged.
- khawk

This idea that people have that somehow it's acceptable to destroy a guy because he's putting himself in a vulnerable position to me is horse poop.

There's nothing wrong with finishing a check on a guy that's in the position Evans put himself in, but to race in knowing there's virutally nothing to do BUT hit the guy and then to not let up and completely obliterate the dude to me is totally unacceptable.

While i will admit some of the onus is on Evans for not attempting to at least side step or duck or protect himself AT ALL, but even with that said, a hard finished check is totally acceptable, but the way he flew in at him knowing he was completely vulnerable and defenseless makes me think the only intent Scheifele had was to destroy this guy. Which i guess to many is totally acceptable because he wanted to pot an empty netter...

This idea that people have that somehow it's acceptable to destroy a guy because he's putting himself in a vulnerable position to me is horse poop.

There's nothing wrong with finishing a check on a guy that's in the position Evans put himself in, but to race in knowing there's virutally nothing to do BUT hit the guy and then to not let up and completely obliterate the dude to me is totally unacceptable.

While i will admit some of the onus is on Evans for not attempting to at least side step or duck or protect himself AT ALL, but even with that said, a hard finished check is totally acceptable, but the way he flew in at him knowing he was completely vulnerable and defenseless makes me think the only intent Schefele had was to destroy this guy. Which i guess to many is totally acceptable because he wanted to pot an empty netter...
- MnGump

The bold line makes me laugh because the general hockey rule is take the hit to make the play except when trying to score goals I guess

That’s also fair. However we have been taught 2 things. You can use your stick to separate puck from player or you can bodycheck to separate puck from player. MS choose the latter and was ill timed.

Penalty was called and he will get 1-2 games.

But the inconsistency between the way the games are called and the punishments rendered are a problem.
- Leafs24seven

100% agree, the officiating and the supposed department of player safety, or is it The Departure of player safety, continue to make themselves look like asses on a daily basis.

Unfortunately a real person was hurt. So that's why the outrage. We are judging the result not the intent.

If a player gets up and skates away, no outrage.
Was it excessive? Sure. Was it dirty? No. Charging Yeah, I'll agree to that.

Lets stop looking at the results and look at the intent.
No head contact check
Didn't leave his feet check
Was it a hockey play or intent to "teach a lesson"? Hockey play, prevent a goal.