if by clean, you mean late, then yes.

Posted by dutchrusk on 04/30/10 at 09:20 PM ET

Unreal Slegr jersey.

Posted by Flashtastick56 from Milford, CT on 04/30/10 at 09:50 PM ET

No way that was a late hit. When run at full speed, you can’t even get to two seconds after her released the puck. Very clean check. I don’t know if Markov had a previous injury, but that hit looked harmless… meaning not something that you see players flail all over the ice.

Posted by Wolfe from Indy on 04/30/10 at 09:50 PM ET

if by clean, you mean late, then yes.

Perfect hit.

Posted by cs6687 on 04/30/10 at 09:52 PM ET

Cool Jiri Slegr Sweater !!! WOW !!!

Posted by Evilpens on 04/30/10 at 09:58 PM ET

I hate the pens, and think matt cooke is a dirty little puke. But there i was nothing wrong with that hit.

It was NOT late. Markov clearly sees cooke coming braces for the hit but unfortunately somthing went wrong and Markov was inured. Sucks, but there was nothing wrong with that hit.

Posted by chet from vancouver on 04/30/10 at 10:11 PM ET

Unreal Slegr jersey.

Posted by Flashtastick56 from Milford, CT on 04/30/10 at 09:50 PM ET

My exact first thought as well.

Who owns (and still wears) a Slegr jersey?  I… don’t even have a joke here.

Posted by Primis on 04/30/10 at 10:33 PM ET

*Markov’s career ended*

Hey cool Jiri Slegr jersey…

Posted by pgoody on 04/30/10 at 10:43 PM ET

OK, the hit….  Slegr jersey aside.

that’s clean.  He finished his check.  It wasn’t blind (Markov saw him), and it wasn’t from behind.  I was telling my wife earlier tonight that Cooke is at a point where someone could behead him on the ice during play and people would shrug and respond only with “Karma”... but that’s just a hit.  You could say he didn’t need to make that hit, but it’s the playoffs, EVERYONE has to make that hit in the playoffs.

Markov gambled by trying to lower his shoulder into it, and he came out on the wrong end.

Posted by Primis on 04/30/10 at 10:50 PM ET

clean hit from cooke, nothing to cry about.

Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 04/30/10 at 11:03 PM ET

Cooke is a dirty d-bag, but there was nothing wrong with that hit besides the outcome. Primis is right - everyone needs to finish checks in the postseason.

Posted by redxblack from Akron Ohio on 04/30/10 at 11:17 PM ET

I’m amazed that pens fans are still in 90’s wearing the starter jerseys…

Posted by FlyersFan on 04/30/10 at 11:59 PM ET

wow, im amazed you even know what a starter jersey is, since flyer fans were too poor to buy them.

Posted by pensfan from wherever on 05/01/10 at 12:41 AM ET

Hate the Pens with a passion, but nothing wrong with that hit.

Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 05/01/10 at 10:25 AM ET

I expected it to be dirty, but can’t find anything. I’ll console myself with Evander Kane’s one timer that knocked Cooke into next year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WKAY7BETEg

PS: that really is an awesome punch!

Posted by Timbits on 05/01/10 at 12:35 PM ET