And we have ourselves a series againThere’s still a lot of talk about that hit on Havlat and what penalty (if any) should have been called. I thought when I first saw it that it was just a clean, vicious hit with a momentarily frightening outcome. Puck Daddy thought skates left the ice upon impact, but Empty Netters seems to believe Kronwell left his feet to administer the hit:
Maybe it’s semantics arguing over what kind of penalty Kronwall got, but it was charging in our book. And he could’ve still been kicked out of the game at the official’s discretion.
The bottom line is, Kronwall has gotten away with hits like this for far too long. It’s about time he faces some discipline for it, even if it’s only within this game tonight. Given how random the NHL’s supplemental discipline is, we can’t even speculate what Colin Campbell will do.
Oh, and that’s not to mention that it sounds like Khabi’s out, so what could possibly go wrong when you’re suddenly without your starting goaltender?
In real time during the game, I’d agree that it looked just like a vicious hit not unlike Brian Campbell on RJ Umberger a couple years back when Buffalo and Philly were battling in the playoffs. The puck was at Havlat’s feet and he got caught with his head down. But slowing it down and poring over it again I think they made the wrong call on the infraction but the right call on the major. Kronwall definitely left his feet.
If the NHL is really about protecting its players and since Kronwall left his feet and went for the head of Marty Havlat, what’s the diffence between that hit and this?
The latter drew a 20 game suspension.
