NHL File: Give Me A Break, Foo!

Hockey is a rough sport.
Hits can be vicious, players get hurt, and the speed at which plays are made is faster than nearly any other team sport.
The NHL, being hockey's major league, is filled with plays that are very vicious, violent, and quick.



Anyone who follows NHL hockey will agree that the hit by Boston Bruin defenseman Zdeno Chara on Montreal Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty is nowhere near as vicious a hit as we see on almost a nightly basis in the NHL.

The injury may be serious, but the hit was not flagrantly vicious.
There is nothing in the replay that shows any intent to injure beyond the usual intent found within an NHL body check into the boards.
An interference minor penalty was all that Chara's hit calls for.

Like in the NFL, perfectly legal hits result in injury all the time in the NHL.
And like in the NFL, perfectly legal NHL hits can be tremendously violent.

What makes this hit so extraordinary? NOTHING.

Now, police are probing into the matter as a criminal act.
Reports indicate the police probe is in response to a request by Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions, Louis Dionne.

I don't know Louis Dionne -- but, I'm solid on the fact that Mr. Dionne is a Montreal Canadiens fan and just a little pissed about losing Pacioretty's services due to injury.

Thus, he wants a little payback by striking a little grief into the life of Chara and the Boston Bruins....all at the expense of valuable police time and expense.

GIVE ME A FRIGGIN' BREAK!

Chara may have still been upset with Pacioretty due to a post-game shoving match between the two last January.
The January shoving match was brought on by Pacioretty's need to celebrate a Candadiens' overtime goal by shoving Chara in the back well after play had stopped.
But, even this little history between Pacioretty and Chara was not enough to instigate a cheap-shot.
Chara has been in the NHL for over 10 years with no history of being in trouble with the NHL.
Past and present players (even some who dropped the gloves against Chara) have expressed their disagreement with those who feel Chara intended to hurt Pacioretty.

The province of Quebec has very low crime rates.
Combine this with a pissed off fan who happens to head a criminal investigation department for Quebec.
And this is the result.

Get well soon Max.
Good luck Zdeno.



Billycock Mafia for life Foo!