My opinion of Brashear is that he is a , to use an old term, a Cement Head, and I can’t believe the Caps waste a roster spot on the guy. However, it was not a late hit. I think he got the elbow up on him, but was within 1 sec. of the player making a play on the puck.

Mcguire was blathering about it being a late hit, but that dufus also said during the pregame that Avery had been suspended for game #5 ?????????????

Canoe also called dustyn Byfuglin (sp) Jonathan ????

It amazes me that Scotty Bowman could have EVER wanted that JA on his coaching staff.

Posted by dbcooper from parts unknown on 04/26/09 at 03:07 PM ET

Not suspendable.  That said, he’ll get a game for pushing Orr before the game.  If Roy got one for yapping, so will Brashear.  Orr too maybe.

Posted by siggy on 04/26/09 at 03:28 PM ET

he’ll get suspended. you really cant tell from the crappy angles provided from nbc. one angle has betts walking into it and another brasher using shoulder.

if he does get suspended i hope he gets the downie treatment. 15 games.

Posted by FlyersFan on 04/26/09 at 03:32 PM ET

Brashear should have gotten more for his hit.It looked like he used his elbow.This tape should go to Bettman

Posted by davomack34 on 04/26/09 at 03:35 PM ET

A little late, but not egregiously so. I can’t tell what he hits him with, shoulder or elbow. If it was an elbow, he’ll get a game. If it was a shoulder, I he’ll probably not get anything for the hit. But the NHL cares a lot about whether someone gets hurt and he got knocked out of at least most of one game, so who knows.

Posted by false_cause from DC on 04/26/09 at 03:39 PM ET

This doesn’t really pass my smell test.  Usually it has to be more than just one way nasty.  This was from the blind side, which by itself wouldnt be too bad.  It’s also a bit high of a hit, which again, on its own isn’t too bad.  It’s borderline late, which is pretty much expected this time of year.  However, combining all three of these things, I don’t like it.

Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 04/26/09 at 03:45 PM ET

If Avery, Orr, and Voros didn’t get suspended for any of their shenanigans, then Brashear ought not to be.

Posted by GregAnnapolis on 04/26/09 at 03:45 PM ET

as an Islanders I detest the Rags...but that was a cheap late elbow to the head...i’d give him minimum 1 game suspension maybe a couple games more

Posted by rb from nj on 04/26/09 at 04:10 PM ET

Hit wasn’t too late, but it was a cheap shot.  Brashear should sit for a game.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 04/26/09 at 05:03 PM ET

I’ve heard people calling it “an elbow to the head,” but it clearly was not. Brashear led with his shoulder, which created the impact, then got his forearm up at the end, pushing Betts the rest of the way to the ice. The only thing that could’ve been legitimately called is a late hit, but even that would’ve been borderline.

Posted by k-roc on 04/26/09 at 05:26 PM ET

Not that he’ll be missed, but the Caps shouldn’t count on Donald Brashear being part of their Game 7 lineup. Whether it was an elbow, forearm or shoulder—I’m still waiting to see a conclusive replay—it’s clear his second-period hit connected directly with the head of Blair Betts. It was late and it was cheap, and certainly more reprehensible than the hit to the squash of Maxime Lapierre that earned Boston’s Milan Lucic a one-game visit to the press box. If this was the regular season, that might have earned Brashear five games. In the playoffs, count on two.

Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 04/26/09 at 07:30 PM ET

That is a little late of a hit. Arm/shoulder/elbow up on that hit. It looked like Betts was headed to the bench too. However, can you even say you’re surprised?

Posted by BP29er from In a TeePee skinnin' me some Blackhawk on 04/26/09 at 07:55 PM ET

A little late? Borderline late? Not late at all?

Are you guys blind or just stupid? I’m not a Rangers fan, in fact I can’t stand the Rangers, but that was so blatantly late that any discussion of it being otherwise is ridiculous. The puck is long gone, so far gone that Betts had time to dump it in, look at the dump in, determine that it was in deep, and then turn to change.

And he better get a game for the shove pre-game. That’s pretty much the exact same thing Roy got suspended for. If the NHL doesn’t jump on it this time the discipline system is officially a joke. Here’s an idea for preventing those types f pre-game incidents, suspend the guy for the game that night, not one somewhere down the line.

Posted by Billy Ray Valentine on 04/26/09 at 08:24 PM ET

Here’s an idea for preventing those types f pre-game incidents, suspend the guy for the game that night, not one somewhere down the line.

I actually think that is the rule.  It just didn’t get applied.

Posted by K24 from NYC on 04/26/09 at 09:19 PM ET

NHL only listen to outrage of the canadian media. they make up crap and suspension as they go long because they live in that ‘ivory tower’ and they do what is in their best interest.

Posted by FlyersFan on 04/26/09 at 10:01 PM ET

Looks clean to me...but it was definitely late, he was nowhere near the puck.  It looks like an uppercut but it was a forearm shiver and his head was down.  Though based on his reputation he’s probably getting suspended for the dreaded “message sending”.  What’s the biting thing?  WTF!?!

Posted by stoneman from Vegas on 04/26/09 at 10:21 PM ET

Tough to tell how the hit was made, but from the poor replays it looked like the elbow came up after the hit.  However, I would call that hit late, and I would call it unnecessary.

Penalty for sure, maybe two, but I’m not sure it deserves a suspension assuming it was a shoulder check. I think Betts just got his bell rung pretty bad.

Posted by Nate A from Dark side of the moon on 04/26/09 at 10:27 PM ET

Dubinsky’s hit on Green was a lot worse IMO.  He saw Green had his backed turned and took a couple hard strides to hit him directly from behind.  It was a conscious effort to injure.

Posted by siggy on 04/27/09 at 06:13 AM ET

very late, very big elbow, and he only gets two minutes. i hope he gets what he deserves

Posted by bsalamon on 04/27/09 at 07:22 AM ET

And Brashear’s wasnt? The puck was in deep Betts is heading for a change, Brash decides he’s not going to get off the ice and take a run at Betts. Who happens to be the best penalty killer for the Rangers and the one thing they have been able to succeed at. Tell me his intent wasn’t to injure. Dubinsky’s hit was pretty vicious, remember that old saying.. an eye for an eye.

Their lucky I’m not the coach of the Rangers. I’d make sure we took runs at everyone of their key players. Then see how they feel about it.

Posted by Performance Parts on 04/27/09 at 07:27 AM ET

Brashear has an afternoon meeting scheduled with the NHL today.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 04/27/09 at 08:42 AM ET

Voros owes Betts an apology.  Voros hits Brash “late” along the boards (a few beats after Brash plays the puck), and Voros skates off when Brash comes looking for him.  That hit clearly pissed Brash off, and Betts just happens to be the next player in the path of retribution.  The hit Brash delivers isn’t much, if any, more “late” than the Voros hit on Brash.

Posted by Ryan from NYC on 04/27/09 at 03:47 PM ET

Shame the video’s been removed from youtube.

Posted by Disney kid on 09/02/09 at 05:14 PM ET