A suspension is definately waranted. Ovechkin is a dirtball. The fact of the matter is the NHL won’t suspend him do to ‘financial’ implications! What a joke!

Posted by Todd Pounds from Connecticut on 05/09/09 at 07:22 AM ET

I agree this warrants a suspension.  Even a Penguin shouldn’t be taken out like that. Definitely no place for that in the game. 

The NHL needs to prove that they aren’t just favoring their stars on this one.  Everyone is looking for it.

Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 05/09/09 at 07:32 AM ET

The knee-on-knee was an unfortunate outcome.  Both players are to blame in this one.  AO explained it and every replay backs that up.  Gonchar deked to his left leaving his knee exposed to the hit that would have been his body had he stayed where he was.  Anyone calling for a suspension if a fool.  I’d like to hear Gonchar’s take on it.  I guarantee he tells it exactly how AO did.

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 05/09/09 at 07:35 AM ET

@Wingsfan,

You are a window Licking retard !!!!

Gonchar was at FAULT TOOO???  How ?????

By trying to get out of the way of a Charge ?? Which is what Richard Kiel does al the time

I have a feeling your mommy & Daddy were brother & Sister

Posted by Evilpens on 05/09/09 at 08:14 AM ET

No suspension.  It should have been a 5 minute major though.

Posted by DrW from Royal Oak, MI on 05/09/09 at 09:24 AM ET

Gonchar definitely saw the hit coming and tried to avoid it.  Alex had him lined up and he tried to avoid the hit rather than absorb the check.

Posted by jaybee on 05/09/09 at 09:41 AM ET

@Wingsfan,

You are a window Licking retard !!!!

Now that’s some interesting imagery there. Wrong. But interesting, nonetheless.

As for the hit, it looks to me like Ovechkin simply chose not to avoid the knee-on-knee contact. He didn’t go out of his way to initiate it, but he didn’t make any effort to move his leg out of the way either. The two minutes were warranted because of that, but nothing more.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/09/09 at 10:18 AM ET

To all of you Wings fans,
I wonder what your response would be if this happened to Lidstrom?  Gonchar is of equal value to the Pens as Lidstrom is to the Wings.  I’m pretty sure your chances of winning the Cup would drop significantly without Lidstrom in the lineup.  So, remeber that when you dismiss the emotion of Pens fans in this instance.  Ovechkin’s time of reckoning is fast approaching, and not from the suits in the NHL office.

Posted by Pens Fan in DC on 05/09/09 at 10:37 AM ET

Lindstrom is not injury prone like gonchar.

Posted by Oilers Rock from Edmonton on 05/09/09 at 11:02 AM ET

Nobody’s dismissing the emotion, but penalties aren’t about emotion. 2 minute kneeing penalty was the right call. No suspension.

But sure, if it were one of my guys, I’d want revenge.

Posted by Djoos on 05/09/09 at 11:07 AM ET

Ovechkin only hits players when they are vulnerable. If you watch him closely on the forcheck if a defenceman has his head up he will curl off,but if they’re in a bad position he hits them to hurt ‘em not to seperate them from the puck(that’s what hitting is for).The media talks about how physical he is.Have you ever seen him on the wall in a scrum for the puck,I haven’t if you have it’s very seldom and considering he’s a winger you would think he would be in more.He hovers around the pack (floater).Not much grit in his game. Anyway,I think he’s kind of dirty.

Posted by Lindas1st on 05/09/09 at 11:16 AM ET

i love hearing comments from people who became pens three years ago

Posted by FlyersFan on 05/09/09 at 01:07 PM ET

Actually FlyersFan,
I paid good money, as a season ticket holder, from 2002-2006, to watch AHL level hockey in Pittsburgh.  I lived in Philadelphia, growing up, and was a Pens fan in the Spectrum, which was pretty much taking my life in my hands, with my family, to be amonst the Flyers Animals, I mean Fans, there.  But then again Flyers losers, I mean fans, still think it’s the mid 1970’s and Dave Schultz is coming onto the ice to help fight their beloved Flyers to the Stanley Cup.  By all accounts, the years the Flyers won the Cup, 1974 & 75, is the all time low point in NHL history.  The league goes upward from there, in terms of true quality (Canadiens 1976-79, Islanders 1980-83, Oilers 1984-85, 1987-88, 1990, & Penguins 1991-92).  But in Philadelphia you wouldn’t know good, quality ice hockey if it bit you on the nose.  Do me a favor and get a team that doesn’t choke in the clutch, doesn’t ask its best players to waste their time and energy on useless crap like scrums and “being tough”, and doesn’t lead the league in taking minor penalties (because you can’t keep up with the elite teams in the league).  Also just to remind you, it’s been 34 years since the Losers, I mean Flyers, won the Cup.  Just thought I’d remind you.
LET’S GO PENS!

Posted by Pens Fan in DC on 05/09/09 at 01:43 PM ET

Actually FlyersFan,
I paid good money, as a season ticket holder, from 2002-2006, to watch AHL level hockey in Pittsburgh.

Don’t waste your time trying to explain anything to FF, Pens Fan. This guy has been making a complete ass of himself here at KK for about two years now. Nothing he says makes sense because he has the thought process of a ten-year-old. It’s too bad he can’t at least write at that level.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 05/09/09 at 05:08 PM ET

I believe Ovechkin.

Posted by Jeff from Indianapolis on 05/09/09 at 06:26 PM ET