I like P.J. Stock’s interpretation:
He went for a shoulder check and missed.  His right skate stayed pointing forwards and it nor his leg moved at all.

Watching the postgame interviews, Ovechkin mentioned he knows Gonch and wouldn’t want to see him hurt, as well that he attempted a shoulder check, missed as Gonchar dodged to his left, and then their knees hit.

Superstar or not there is a legit case not to suspend.

Posted by VooX from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 05/08/09 at 11:33 PM ET

fact is he injured gonchar with a reckless check… i’m sure bertuzzi didn’t want to break steve moore’s neck either

Posted by bcrt on 05/09/09 at 12:16 AM ET

bcrt:

So you’re saying there’s no difference between missing a check and intentionally punching someone in the head from behind?

Posted by kushiro on 05/09/09 at 12:48 AM ET

I love OV, and it hurts to say so, but, if that knee-on-knee hit was applied by anyone
but Ovechkin, he’d be getting a suspension.  He stuck his knee out, and took out
one of the Pens’ best players—who had barely come back from an injury this year.
With intent to injure?  It’s hard not to think so.

I really do hope the Caps win the series, but OV lost a lot of my respect.

Posted by Harken from San Francico on 05/09/09 at 04:53 AM ET

Spot on agree with the last poster.  If Brashear threw that knee, he’s gone for the game and five more.  And I’m A CAP’S fan!  The NHL double standards are sickening.  Look no further than Corey Perry, one of the dirtiest players in the NHL.  He’s done suspendable things countless times now, yet he gets off with fines.  Chris Pronger has been let off with minimal suspensions.  The fact of the matter is, the NHL protects above average to star players by turning a blind eye, fining the player (e.g. Max Talbot), or handing out a weak suspension (e.g. Pronger).  The NHL has also dictated who you can and can’t put on the ice at the end of a game (e.g. Carcillo by fining Stevens).  It’s all sickening.  And the NHL brass loses more respect by continuing to yuppiefy with league.

Posted by Sig on 05/09/09 at 07:10 AM ET

No… what I’m saying is Bertuzzi didn’t mean to break Moore’s neck, but he was reckless and did break his neck and deserved the year suspension he got. Ovechkin didn’t mean to take out Gonchar, but he did with a reckless check and deserves a game for it. Especially considering how critical Gonchar is to the Penguins.

Posted by kushiro on 05/09/09 at 07:14 AM ET

woops the last one was me, not kushiro :p

Posted by bcrt on 05/09/09 at 07:15 AM ET

Sure, fair point, except what Bertuzzi did was an intentional attack, not just reckless behaviour.  Once you intentionally go out and do something illegal (or in this case, against the rules), you are responsible for any result, intended or unintended.  If a waiter accidentally spills coffee on you while serving your table, he won’t get charged with assault.  If, on the other hand, he picks up the whole pot and pours it over your head, he will.  He can’t say, “Oops, I only meant to get that guy a little wet.  Sorry about the third degree burns!”

I’m not saying whether or not Ovechkin intended to injure.  However, if it can be shown that Ovie’s hit was a miscalculation, then he has done nothing (or at most little) wrong.  Sure, suspend him for a game or two for his recklessness if you like, but there’s no comparison to what happened with Bertuzzi/Moore.

Posted by kushiro on 05/09/09 at 08:18 AM ET