Head Shots and Line Brawls. Enough is enough!

The rash of NHL line brawls that followed the All-Star break has been settling down. Following an outcry by Pen's Owner Mario Lemieux. Saying he was questioning his future partnership with the NHL is the fighting and brawling didn't stop. For a stretch of games it seemed there was a brawl each night. There was the Pen's and the Isles in their two game punch up and the Habs vs Boston. All the brawls would happen with under 4 mintues to go in the game and the score would be greater than 2 goals in favour of one side. It was getting so bad between Pitsburgh and New York that it forced Pen's owner Super Mario Lemieux to write a letter of disgust to the NHL Commissioner, disappointed with the mockery of the game on the ice. The scene from the final minutes when the last brawl broke out, was reminiscent of the movie "Slapshot" with Paul Newman acting as player/coach Reg Dunlop, who led the Hnason Brother's and other in goons in a fashion of hockey described as Old time 'Eddy Shore hockey" It was more like a roller derby from hell.

As Lemieux rethinks his involvement with the NHL. It appears the NHL will not fine the owner for his remarks. Some how I am not sure how the e-mail of Lemieux was leaked to the press. It also seems the entire NHL to the letter. Some people would say this kind of old time hockey is exciting. It admit it does get people out of their seats but finally enough is enough 4 an five different fights. It had gotten pathetic. To see as many players in the penalty box as there was across the ice in the players bench. I would ask Lemieux ,what he would consider suitable punishment?Are we talking multiple games and big fines. Who knows. I think to myself, the NHL does it want more WWE shenanigans, is this what will sell the game in parts of the US?. I agree with Mario, in the point that The NHL didn't do a good job dealing with this whole situation. My biggest point in concern, after the last brawl, the main instigator in the brawl Michael Haley jumps Maxime Talbot and following that fight he skated to the Pen's goalie Johnson and engaged in a fight with him. At that point the Pens enforcer Eric Goddard left the players bench to come to the aid of his goalie. Johnson if you remember earlier in the week was invloved in another brawl between the two teams and Johnson skated the length of the ice and fractured Dipietro's cheek bone with a one punch tko. Johnson was not suspended but Pen's Eric Goddard was given 10 games for leaving the bench. Haley the tough guy-no namer who got into two fights was assessed no suspension.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4FrNDkAYVY see the fights with the link

There was some bad blood between the two and it got vicious and then it got pathetic. The Habs and Bruins game the next night saw a similar scene of fight after fight and eventually a brawl. Fighting in hockey is allowed. Players serve a penalty usually 5 minutes for fighting. Players are then still allowed to play the game. Players are only handed out game misconductsn and tossed from the game when the fights happen before or after the whistle.

Like Mario I am disgusted with the sucker puches and lack of respect for other peoples and their career. It is a different situation when two players agree to square off in a fight. Usually the ref's know when to jump in and the players skate off into the penalty box sometimes giving each other a pat or kind gesture, acknowledging a good fight. Those kind of fights usually go between teams enforcers. That isn't the problem here. What's wrong is the head hunter hit's and the intent to injure plays. Where guys are trying to knock the other guy out. In hockey there is a fine line, when you allow fighting to be legal and the game being played with so much passion and emotion there is the opportunity for injury and things getting carried away. The bodrerline assault. Players like Todd Bertuzzi has ended a players career for stalking and sucker punch or Moore. Moore sued. It's no good when the league best player is on the side lines, concussed from a shoulder to the head. People will have to want either good clean hockey and to abolish fighting. Because fighting is a form of a head shot and head shots are dangerous and need to be out of the game. Some say with the speed and the size of the rink you will always have head shots. But I say players are extremely aware and can mke quick judgements moves in order to avoid of contact from the upper body to another players head. Its a physical sport and guys will get caught in awkward positions. But the respect for one another is missing.