Watching the game Saturday night, my first comment was, “He Bertuzzied him!” For whatever it’s worth, in defense of Tropp, we thought he was actually trying to stop Conboy rather than hit Kampfer with his stick.

What the article alludes to but does not specifically mention is that Kampfer was the guy who was assaulted and body slammed by a now former member of the U of M football team back in October. Hopefully, he’s not hurt too badly and can fully recover (again).

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 01/26/09 at 11:07 AM ET

That game was a real rock ‘em-sock ‘em grudge match as I’ve seen in a long time.  It was clear that Conboy lost his mind in the last few minutes, he was just getting out of the box for an unsportmanslike conduct before taking the cheap shop on Kampfer.  MSU gets swept by U of M in a season series for the first time in (hockey) history, it can be assumed that Spartan tempers would flare, but this was over the top.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 01/26/09 at 11:26 AM ET

In-state rivalries, no matter what the sport, are the worst. I watched the game, and I’m surprised nothing like that happened earlier.

Posted by rightwingprof from Pennsylvania on 01/26/09 at 12:02 PM ET

Way to go, a bunch of idiots do some dumb shit, and sooner than later, those of us that like a good, honest, honorable fight in a hockey game won’t ever see one again as a result. Stupid kids.

Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 01/26/09 at 12:06 PM ET

UofM player Miller got thrown out of the hand shake line--- anything else on this??

Posted by JR from Mich on 01/26/09 at 12:11 PM ET

These disgraceful cheap shots are EXACTLY what would occur in the NHL if fighting was banned. This incident never would have occurred if those two idiots from Michigan St. knew they would eat fist after this play or on their next shift.

Posted by Paul Kelly from Marcellus, N.Y. on 01/26/09 at 12:43 PM ET

I don’t know, YZ...the quality is spotty, but it really looks to me like Tropp was trying to slash him. When did hockey players forget that being hit was part of the game?

Posted by dip from philly on 01/26/09 at 01:15 PM ET

I didn’t see this live, so just going by the video.

Tropp actually looked like he was hitting his own player.  He slashed at Conboy’s stick several times (and I think once actually hit Comboy with a slash), then actually shoved Conboy before turning to try and hold off everyone else.  It almost looked like he got his number after the hit and got up to make a run at the guy for a hit, then realized what had happened and what Conboy was doing and then decided to try and stop it.

This is an important time for Comley, an important opportunity.  If he wants to make a statement about his regime, now is a good time.  When he drove off AJ Thelen back when Comley first came on, there was a lot of talk about not being sure if Thelen was a problem, or Comley was just trying to overflex.  Well, we all know now that Thelen was a can’t-hit prospect (not a can’t-miss one), and that Comley took a team to a National title.  Now Comley needs to show if he is indeed in control.  He seems to have taken in previous years precautions to not bring in kids who’d get into trouble.

I wouldn’t blame the No Fighting rule for this so much as the full face guards NCAA players wear.  Stickwork in college games is crazy nowadays and that’s part of the reason some of these guys come into Pro and get suspended a bunch at first.

And what the hell is with the security at Yost that a random person got into the State locker room anyhow?

Posted by Primis on 01/26/09 at 03:17 PM ET

@Paul Kelly:

This has nothing to do with fighting in or out of the game. Players forgot that part of hockey should be taking hits. Years ago, if you are the victim of an clean open ice hit, you had to suck it up and keep the head up the next time you’re out.

These days, when a player hits another one with a clean hit, he’s getting clobbered by some “tough guy” in “revenge” for the hit. But that should not be part of hockey! Clean is clean so kick the guys out who think they have to start the “revenge” fights.

My opinion is: Punish some guy if he’s giving out cheap shots, but leave the players alone who dish out clean hits.

That’s all!

Posted by Joe from Germany on 01/26/09 at 03:24 PM ET

According to a Michigan blog lined at Puck Daddy, the unnamed person who sneaked into the locker room may have been Kampfer’s father, who was at the game and saw the incident.

Posted by rightwingprof from Pennsylvania on 01/26/09 at 03:26 PM ET

I don’t know, YZ...the quality is spotty, but it really looks to me like Tropp was trying to slash him. When did hockey players forget that being hit was part of the game?

Posted by dip from philly on 01/26/09 at 01:15 PM ET

My opinion was based on watching the game and in-game replays Saturday night, not the YouTube video. Especially Tropp’s body language when the official stepped in on Conboy. He seemed to direct his attention toward Conboy rather than continuing to go after Kampfer, which he easily could have done if he wanted. Who knows, I definitely could be wrong. Based on what I saw, I thought that Conboy would face harsher penalties than Tropp, but the article states the opposite.

What I do know is that this garbage of attacking opposition players for clean hits needs to be stopped at all levels of hockey.

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 01/26/09 at 03:38 PM ET

You then definitely have a better vantage point than me, YZ. 

“Tropp actually looked like he was hitting his own player.  He slashed at Conboy’s stick several times (and I think once actually hit Comboy with a slash), then actually shoved Conboy before turning to try and hold off everyone else.  It almost looked like he got his number after the hit and got up to make a run at the guy for a hit, then realized what had happened and what Conboy was doing and then decided to try and stop it.”

This seems reasonable...I’ve been known to get pretty steamed only to regain my composure before doing something stupid.

If the father did in fact go to the locker room, that is a mistake, though I feel for him seeing his son attacked like that, particularly after what happened earlier in the year.  My kids are young and I’ve never had to see them in a difficult situation, but I can imagine its awful.

Posted by dip from philly on 01/26/09 at 05:51 PM ET