I don’t know how it all started. The next thing you know my gloves are off.

Allow me to explain it to you.  You blatantly elbowed Datsyuk in the face.  You flung your elbow around with such poise and velocity that there is no way in hell that you did not know what you were doing. 

And then, when Datsyuk tries to stand up for himself, you figure, “what the hell, I’ll swing some punches at him.  He doesn’t get too many fighting majors.  Besides, the league won’t reprimand me at all.”

And finally, as you throw your punches, and Datsyuk gets your helmet with the visor slightly skewed, you take the time to adjust it to make sure that Datsyuk could not get a clear shot at your face if he wanted to.

You are a coward.  A flat out coward.  You are not a leader.  You are little more than a goon.  If the league had any balls at all, they would suspend you. 

Kudos to Datsyuk for taking the high road, and not pissing and moaning like every single ducks player has done this entire series.  Datsyuk took a blatant elbow with as much force as Neidermayer could give it, and he doesn’t bitch. 

“I was bent over, coughing up blood.”  “He was admiring his pass.”  On and on and on and on.  The Ducks could use a nice big old heaping pile of shut the hell up, and brand new set of testicles.  Two of them would be more than that dressing room has seen in a very long time.

Cowards.

Posted by Ha Hockey on 05/13/09 at 06:48 AM ET

Tell that prick from Canton, if he wants to see what “gutless” really looks like, to watch this video.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 05/13/09 at 06:54 AM ET

I said it before the series began: Chris Pronger certainly deserves all the criticism thrown his way, but Scott Neidermeyer is the biggest piece of sh*t in hockey and has been for years. Why this guy is respected as some kind of “consummate professional” is beyond me.

Posted by Mandingo from The Garage on 05/13/09 at 07:50 AM ET

Datsyuk is probably one of the most undeserving of an elbow in the face in this league.  Was a really dirty shot and the league SHOULD suspend Neidermayer.  Of course there’s a double standard and they probably wont… oh well.  Wings can look for real pay back next game.

Posted by Adam on 05/13/09 at 07:52 AM ET

I basically lost all respect I had remaining for Niedermayer last night.  Don’t forget that earlier in the game he was cross-checking Holmstrom in the back of the head after a play.  Naturally, the gutless refs just ignored it…

And by the way, it’s really sad that someone like Ken Campbell, with no horses in this race,  has to write the “But given the fact a precedent has been set allowing players to cold-cock unsuspecting opponents in the face in this year’s playoff tournament, don’t count on anything coming down.” line.  What a sad state the league is in right now, that you can get suspended for missing the All-Star game, but elbowing or punching someone in the face with a cheat-shot is ok and gets you nothing.

The league needs to clean house from the top and work their way down.  The clowns running this show are ruining it all…

Posted by Primis on 05/13/09 at 07:52 AM ET

I wonder if D-Mac will find his way into the lineup tomorrow night?

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 05/13/09 at 08:00 AM ET

Don’t forget that earlier in the game he was cross-checking Holmstrom in the back of the head after a play.  Naturally, the gutless refs just ignored it…

Or how about Pronger nailing Datsyuk when he never had the puck, or Pronger two-handing Hank (twice) on his way to the net, or Prong actually grabbing Mule by the helmet and pulling it off during the play.  The Ducks got bolder and bolder as the game went on because they obviously picked up on the fact that the refs were going to let them get away with murder in this game.  The Perry blindside cross-check to Rafalski at the begninning of the melee is one of the most cowardly, opurtunistic definition of intent to injur that I have witnessed in a fairly long while.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 05/13/09 at 08:09 AM ET

I was thinking last night after the game (and maybe I have a short memory) but has Pronger really been all that dirty in this series?  I mean, as above and beyond villainous as he has in previous years?  He had a heck of a stick lift against Zetterberg to save a goal in that third.

Posted by Tuba Guy from Royal Oak, MI on 05/13/09 at 08:28 AM ET

He’s been invisible at times, dirty at others.

Posted by moore00 from Columbus, OH/Grand Rapids, MI on 05/13/09 at 08:54 AM ET

OOOO man. . . .my heart starts beating, and I get SOOO f****n angry when i watch this video.  Those anaheim whores win the game and THEN they still decide to go after all of our star power.  [with clear intent to injur]. . . i am really upset

mmmm, . . . tryin to calm down. . .

Posted by Wingsfan11 on 05/13/09 at 09:14 AM ET

Looks like Niedermayer is a student of Pronger Physics. Must be a class all the players in Anaheim take.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 05/13/09 at 09:47 AM ET

How does everyone feel about the Getzlaf/Hossa part of the scrum?

Posted by squirtholio on 05/13/09 at 10:04 AM ET

Eh…

I was more pissed off at the Rafalski attacked where Perry was trying to reinjur him.

Posted by Tuba Guy from Royal Oak, MI on 05/13/09 at 10:06 AM ET

Well said Ha Hockey…well said.

Posted by Snow from Canton, MI on 05/13/09 at 10:28 AM ET

I wonder if D-Mac will find his way into the lineup tomorrow night?

Screw that, I’d ice a 4th line of McCarty, Downey, and Helm and let them loose…

Posted by Primis on 05/13/09 at 10:58 AM ET

Wow, just watching the game last nite I didn’t realize how blatant the elbow on Datsyuk was. This post-whistle goonery is absolute bull.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 05/13/09 at 11:48 AM ET

I’m wondering if Carlyle told his guys to let loose.  He probably showed them that Walker received no suspension for his instigation the other day, and knows that his guys will get nothing.  And as a bonus, he might get his guys to injure the other players.

The league just doesn’t have the balls to suspend someone for a game 7 unless it’s an “enforcer-type” (ala Brashear).  It’s sad, really - it sets a precedent for things like this to continue, and real, tragic injuries to occur.

This is not part of the game, I don’t care how you view the game.

Posted by BuzzFledderjohn on 05/13/09 at 11:51 AM ET

I have never seen so much whining about a scrum. Was the elbow dirty? Absolutely. However why was Datsyuk even holding onto Scott unless he wanted to fight, because the last guy to ever drop the gloves in Anaheim is Scott.

What about the Holsmstrom elbow on Wisniewski? Kronwall left his feet and broke Carter’s nose with a headshot in game 1. Helm blantantly charged Ebbett in the second period last night. He took at least six strides to make the hit. The same hit that Downie was given twenty games for.

Its playoff hockey and both teams have taken liberties and played in the gray area of the rulebook. It goes both ways. Their is no league conspiracy about Canada vs Europe or wanting to keep the Wings down.

Get over your whining and enjoy game 7. Its the Wings game to lose in the Joe. They just need to hope that they can contain Getzlaf now that he doesnt have the flu.

Posted by IcePyrate from Highland on 05/13/09 at 12:17 PM ET

Love it!

Bring on game 7!

I don’t understand all these comments that ‘this isn’t hockey’, ‘this shouldn’t be allowed’, etc?

This *is* hockey. It *is* allowed. You just saw it with thine own eyes. The league has done away with the most egregious aspects of its violent, historical roots, but the fact remains, hockey is an intimidating game.

The Chicago Blackhawks have a fast, fun, exciting hockey team too, but they also have toughness and grit. I’m not sure I can say that about the Red Wings…

Posted by blammo from Vancouver, BC on 05/13/09 at 12:30 PM ET

Keep in mind that this is after the final buzzer.  There is a difference between play, play stoppage, and between periods/before/after the game. 

An instigator penalty, for example, between or after periods incurs a 10 game suspension.  An instigator penalty at any other time is nowhere near this harsh. 

I don’t know what game you watch, but hockey is played between the whistles, and not after. 

It’s stupid to see a team’s success influenced by what happens after the whistles, quick whistle or not, especially with the fast and skillful product the NHL has to work with.

Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 05/13/09 at 01:40 PM ET

Should players be able to run into the other players locker rooms and start a ‘scrum’? How bout into their homes?  Sounds like it would be exciting, right guys? And the victors would really be showing grit and toughness.  I guess that would *be* hockey too.

Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 05/13/09 at 01:42 PM ET

gee, was that cheering i heard after the final buzzer? nhl wont suspend neidermayer. if this wasn’t a star or well known name in hockey they would suspend that player but you never know with colly and boys in white ivory tower

Posted by FlyersFan on 05/13/09 at 01:53 PM ET

It’s true, the NHL does have a different standard for skilled players. As they should. Gritty guys like Lecavalier, Getzlaf, and Iginla are given more leeway than the Brashears and Downeys. 

I can guarantee you that the NHL will never turn into a no-touch shinny league where fleet-of-foot dipsy doodle-ers run amok, unmolested and untested. Gordie Howe and Bobby Orr are the standard bearers by which all great players are compared. They earned their respect.

I understand what Holland is trying to do, creating a puck-possession team that attracts other skilled players who want to play that style (Hossa), but I guarantee you that the Perrys, Getzlafs, Shanahans, Quinns, Burkes, and Campbells will always carry the torch for old-time hockey.

Yes, the league should crack down on goons and hits to the head, but it should not be so harsh as to make it a game without an edge.

Posted by blammo from Vancouver, BC on 05/13/09 at 02:14 PM ET

Yes, the league should crack down on goons and hits to the head, but it should not be so harsh as to make it a game without an edge.

No one wants to remove the edge.  We want to remove the unnecessary violence.  There’s good violence and bad violence.

Finishing a crushing, cleanly-delivered body check?  Good violence.
Aiming your elbow at the head of another player?  Bad violence.

Posted by shanetx on 05/13/09 at 02:51 PM ET

However why was Datsyuk even holding onto Scott unless he wanted to fight, because the last guy to ever drop the gloves in Anaheim is Scott.

From the video, it looks to me like Datsyuk was just trying to prevent Niedermayer from double teaming Hossa and joining in the after game activities. I guess Scotty thought that action was so hainus that it deserved a cheap shot.

Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 05/13/09 at 03:10 PM ET

Do you mean heinous?

Looks to me like Hossa is the 3rd man in two different altercations - should he be given a game misconduct? Anything to avoid having to dance with Getzlaf…

And then we have Marchant managing two Wings, though I respect the fact that he doesn’t mess with Lidstrom.

Meanwhile, Pronger is the consummate gentleman - now *that* shows restraint!

Posted by blammo from Vancouver, BC on 05/13/09 at 03:26 PM ET

Meanwhile, Pronger is the consummate gentleman - now *that* shows restraint!

Pronger was tied up with the Mule.  He was busy with the complex mathematical calculations necessary to figure out how to elbow someone 6’3” in the head.  Physics are hard, man.

Posted by shanetx on 05/13/09 at 04:08 PM ET

Looks to me like Hossa is the 3rd man in two different altercations - should he be given a game misconduct?

If he did what you said, then yes. But game misconducts and major penalties at the end of a game are meaningless anyways, so it really doesn’t matter.

What I’d like to see is carryover time. Something like if a player gets a major penalty or a game misconduct penalty after the final buzzer, you sit in the box to sit out the penalty at the start of the next game. That way, the actions after the game is over actually have consequences, just like they do during the actual game. The way they have it now, it is a free for all.

And yes, I misspelled heinous. My apologies.

Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 05/13/09 at 06:07 PM ET

What I’d like to see is carryover time. Something like if a player gets a major penalty or a game misconduct penalty after the final buzzer, you sit in the box to sit out the penalty at the start of the next game. That way, the actions after the game is over actually have consequences, just like they do during the actual game. The way they have it now, it is a free for all.

This I like. And just to clarify for any fans who’s grasp on hockey is still a work in progress, not to create a short handed situation.  Simply make the player unavailable to his team for those carryover minutes.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 05/13/09 at 06:25 PM ET

Boo hooo hooo hooo. Those meany Ducks are dirty! Booo Hooo Hooo!

Posted by Tero from Tacoma on 05/13/09 at 08:21 PM ET