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Pimp My Hockey Team
by Alanah McGinley on 11/17/07 at 01:56 AM ET
Comments (6)
Jason Botchford at The Vancouver Province was impressed with the 6-2 win:
The Canucks started Friday’s game like they had just left the set of Pimp My Hockey Team.
Suddenly, all the nagging flaws, the worrisome blemishes and the inadequacies that had them mired in a mediocre start to the season were scrubbed clean.
In their place was a souped-up, turbo-charged team that looked like a sleek sports car—complete with tinted windows and halogen headlights. It was enough to blow the doors off a tired, unmotivated Minnesota Wild team before the Wild even got out of the blocks.
It was a great performance, but now for the not-so-fun stuff: Should someone get suspended? After a night of “pimping” a couple of guys might deserve some jail time.
Mattias Ohlund’s swing taking out Mikko Koivu’s ankle wasn’t pretty. Ohlund isn’t a dirty player by any stretch of the imagination, but that move can’t be judged as anything but intent to injure. As it was, he earned a 5-minute major and was tossed from the game for misconduct.
It was a reactive move by Ohlund, angered in the moment and simply reacting without thinking; he even looked shocked at his own actions immediately. But there’s no way retaliation can be tolerated in a game as fast and dangerous as hockey can be at the best of times.
I expect both Wild and Canucks fans will disagree with this as either too soft or too harsh, but to my mind he should draw a 1 or 2 game suspension.
Then there’s Marian Gaborik’s bad behavior in the second period.
After a series of frustrated exchanges between himself and Ryan Kesler all night, Gaborik finally lost his own temper and drove Kesler in the head with a hard elbow. He was mistakenly given a high-sticking penalty for his handiwork, but there’s no doubt that it was an intentional elbow to the head, delivered with all the force he could put behind it.
Like Ohlund, Gaborik isn’t typically a dirty player, but that was a dirty move. And with all the focus these days on the danger of dirty hits to the head—Kesler himself involved in a much more serious incident only weeks ago at the hands of Flyer Jesse Boulerice—Gaborik’s move was exactly the type of thing the league wants to crack down on.
The only question is whether the league has any intention of suspending a franchise player like Gaborik. I’m pretty sure if Derek Boogaard had delivered that elbow, there wouldn’t even be a question.
As it is, Canucks’ coach Alain Vigneault said some words to the officials during the break, so we’ll see if it leads to a review by the league. But I’m guessing that it probably won’t.
In an ideal world, I think Gaborik and Ohlund deserve similar punishments—to be kept out for a game or two. Koivu’s injury is unfortunate, but I’m not one ever to be persuaded by the logic that a player should be automatically taken out of the lineup for as long as the player he injures—there are too many factors that can’t be accounted for.
But I also think that what happened to Koivu (and what could have happened to Kesler) deserves attention by the league. Both players—and every player in the NHL—deserves to know they can play the game without fearing such attacks.
And if they do happen, there should be consequences. No matter who you are.
Note 1: If anyone comes across video footage of these incidents, I’d really appreciate the links. If not, I’ll see if I can post the video myself on Saturday.
Note 2: Incidentally, I’m actually a big fan of Boogaard’s, and courtesy of Michael Russo, I see the big guy is being bid as the Rory Fitzpatrick II—Vote4Boogey.
Sure. Why not?!
Update November 17th, 11am PT: More from Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune on this issue, about both Gaborik and Ohlund
Filed in: vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: derek+boogaard, marian+gaborik, mattias+ohlund, minnesota+wild, suspensions, vancouver+canucks,
Comments
Sounds like it would be fair if Ohlund and Gaborik got comparable penalties--dirty plays in a moment of frustration by players who normally don’t do things like that.
Maybe a game or two for each of them. With as much time as Gaborik loses to groin injuries, a brief rest might actually be a good thing for him, anyway.
I am of two minds about the score:
1. Six goals in one game is depressing. I have the sick feeling Vancouver used up their entire allotment and won’t score any more for a week and a half. At least.
2. Six goals is great! An excellent sign that the offense is finally starting to click and will take off now, scoring on a regular basis for most of the rest of the season.
I like number 2 better, so I will choose to believe it because it makes me happier. 
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 11/17/07 at 08:35 AM ET
wherefore art thou, alanah?
Posted by grey wall on 11/21/07 at 12:10 PM ET
Hello. I browse and saw you website and I found it very interesting.Thank you for the good work.
Posted by Mokojso on 11/21/07 at 12:14 PM ET
Well here we go again.
Now not only the media but fans (bloggers) are deciding that thuggery in hockey must not go unpunished. Get real!! Hockey is a violent sport.
Stick to watching games, and not assessing suspensions for every borderline incident.
The whining is getting tiresome.
Posted by R. U. Reddy from Victoria, BC on 11/21/07 at 12:28 PM ET
I hate being so late responding to these, but better late than never…
PuckHound61 -- I thought that I was usually the overly-optimistic fan around here.
Baroque -- When it comes to an offensively anemic team, one must never complain about 6 goals. No matter what!
Grey Wall -- Sorry. Back. Been sick and just barely functional lately.
R.U. Reddy -- I think you might be reading too much into my comments. They were specifically in response to the transgressions that happened in this particular game—neither of which were “borderline” in my opinion. But of course you’re welcome to disagree.
I do recognize the danger of hockey as part of the sport, and I actually agree with you that commentators over-react far too frequently. But differing opinions on incidents shouldn’t be a bad thing, either.
If it’s getting so tiresome, perhaps you shouldn’t upset yourself so much by reading it…
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 11/21/07 at 01:29 PM ET
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
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Other Canucks Blogs
Ohlund will most likely be fined for his slash on Koivu.
Posted by PuckHound61 from Speckville USA on 11/17/07 at 08:18 AM ET