Zdeno Chara has not been suspended by the NHL for last nights hit on Max Pacioretty. I do not have time to write a long article, I am in the middle of Midterms. I will offer this quick thought:
What happened what simply awful, but by no means was it a dirty hit. Chara hit Pacioretty where the the glass starts between the benches (the partition). Chara angled off Pacioretty to prevent a breakaway... Which is interference. It is not Chara’s fault how the rink is constructed.
I offer this for the people who think it was a dirty hit:
That 6'9 freak has a PHD in Physics. He knew how fast to skate, how hard to hit, and when to hit.
-Someone tweeted that at hockeybuzz blogger Ty Anderson... I think its pretty much on the dot.
Here is the NHL’s statement from Mike Murphy:
National Hockey League Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy today issued the following statement on Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara's hit in NHL game #996 last night against the Montreal Canadiens:
"I conducted a hearing with Boston Bruins' defenseman Zdeno Chara with respect to the major penalty for interference and game misconduct that he was assessed at 19:44 of the second period for a hit on Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens.
"After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards. I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.
"This was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface. In reviewing this play, I also took into consideration that Chara has not been involved in a supplemental discipline incident during his 13-year NHL career."
Pic from boston.com
Written by:
