I can’t believe what I just heard. What? Oh right it’s Melrose. Never mind I can believe it.

I didn’t see the butt end from Osgood initially.  Barry has a point there. Not that what Osgood is worse, but you can’t say Ribeiro is the only one who did something wrong.

Shane, you can if you don’t root for the Dive.

Sorry man, love the blog, but you’re not exactly an impartial observer here.  If the play had occurred during the game, I’d be fine seeing Ozzie take an interference penalty- I think it was interference.  It most definitely was not a “vicious butt-end.” Ribeiro was pissed his team lost, and lost his cool, simple as that. 

What Ozzie did is completely different than what Ribeiro did, and wishing it were otherwise doesn’t make it so, just as it won’t make Joe Sakic eighteen again or Barry Melrose less a brainless piece of crap.  I’m ashamed of Bob McKenzie for towing the party line on this one, and fairly certain Dreger or Duthie or someone will set him straight soon enough. 

You can’t go around swinging at people’s heads- even goalie’s heads- unless your name is Tim McCracken.  And Mike Ribeiro’s name isn’t Tim McCracken, buddy.

Didn’t see the “butt-end” until now and I’d like to see more replays before really saying anything. From what that brief replay shows though, I give Ozzie props for being subtle

There are so many slashes, hooks, and small punches that Ozzie’s move is hardly noteworthy. Take, for instance, the two bruises on Draper’s face. They came from Ott’s mugging and hook punch.

The refs aren’t protecting Turco?  Really? When did a Wing player take a run at him? The only person really getting in his face is Homer, and seeing Homer’s butt all game is getting in Turco’s head. Homer’s goal probably should have been disallowed, but only because he prevented Turco from being able to make the save, not because his feet are in the crease; read the rulebook.

I hope the Wings sweep so that idiots like Melrose can explain how the Stars blew a series, and never say how the Wings won. Ass.

Just so Ribeiro ain’t exactly an angel when it comes to flopping:

Ribeiro As A Hab

Paul, this is a hockey forum why is Melrose even in this forum.

Kooldude, KK attracts many hockey fans on a daily basis and we try to point out as much as we can that will be of interest to hockey fans wordlwide. 

As always, you are always encouraged to comment and express your views.

I think I’m being as impartial as any non-Wings/Stars can be when watching this incident. I don’t like any player using his stick in the manner Ribeiro did, regardless of the opponent. I think Osgood is a class act and have no ill feelings towards the guy.  His comments after the game when Oakes asked if he felt Ribeiro should be suspended and he said it wasn’t his call and he wasn’t going to concern himself with it were great.

But the stick in Ribeiro’s face and the flop to the ice didn’t seem too classy.  Maybe the stick hurt him more than I think it did but I find it hard to believe a goaltender who takes 90+ MPH slap shots would be hurt by a stick swung by Ribeiro with no real wind up.

I don’t Osgood laid out a vicious butt end by any means, but it still wasn’t a smart move on Osgood’s part. It also makes Ribeiro’s act look like less of a gutless coward act and more of a brain dead act by a frustrated player who had a butt end aimed at his face.

It doesn’t make it right, but it makes it “less bad” in my mind. I still think it should be a suspension b/c it was a reckless use of his stick. But the NHL is now in a tough spot because of Osgood’s part in the incident, however “less bad” it was.

Less bad. 

Sorry, just wanted to use that term one more time

Look at the video at the 1:46-remaining mark. Ozzie stuck his stick out laterally with the butt end pointing up. Ribeiro had every opportunity to avoid the stick, but ran into it instead. There was never any movement by Ozzie to “reverse spear” (i.e., “butt end") Ribeiro.

Interference? Probably. An intent to injure? Not even close.

What Ribeiro did, on the other hand, was a blatant attempt to injure. The fact that he didn’t injure Ozzie shouldn’t negate his obvious intent. But the League won’t suspend him because Lil’ Gary knows Dallas needs Ribeiro to have even a ghost of a chance in this series.

And Turco, of all people, calling Ozzie’s action “gutless” is beyond ridiculous. He intentionally tripped Flip yesterday and he used his stick on Helm on Thursday. If you want “gutless”, Marty, look in the mirror.

yeah… not only that, but what everyone, commentators and fans alike seem to be missing is WHY Ozzie held his stick up. When you see the wide angle shot of the whole play, you see that time runs out and Ribeiro is flying in to take a cheap shot at the wings d-man behind the net (which he still did, but with no force because Ozzie distracted him). Ozzie simply extended himself in order to slow Ribeiro down, in fact, Ozzie is looking the other way when his stick actually touches Ribeiro.

I hope that Ribeiro is not suspended so that the Wings can follow Turco’s lead and take the rules into their own hands. My favorite part of the game last night was the closeup of Dmac after the slash. He’s pissed… I wouldn’t want a suspension to take the wind out of that sail. I want to see Rebeiro get pounded.

What OTC and Ryan said.