NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 10, 2022
Game recaps plus my reaction to the Canadiens replacing Dominique Ducharme with Martin St. Louis, Tuukka Rask’s retirement, the Blues re-signing coach Craig Berube, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Jacob Markstrom made 28 saves for his league-leading eighth shutout of the season as the Calgary Flames blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 6-0. Andrew Mangiapane scored twice, Matthew Tkachuk had a three-point night while Mikael Backlund had a goal and three assists. Golden Knights captain Mark Stone missed this game with an upper-body injury. With 54 points, the Flames sit four points ahead of the Dallas Stars for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference and are three behind the St. Louis Blues. The Golden Knights (59 points) maintain a four-point lead over the Anaheim Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division.
Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom (NHL Images).
Speaking of the Stars, they nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3 on a third-period goal by Luke Glendening. Jason Robertson tallied two goals and Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist. Roman Josi collected two assists for the Predators (60 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Minnesota Wild for second place in the Central Division.
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury kicked out 40 shots and Alex DeBrincat had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Kirby Dach, Dylan Strome and Brandon Hagel each had a goal and an assist. The loss leaves the Oilers five points behind the Flames. The Oilers also lost defenseman Duncan Keith after he crashed into the end boards in the first period.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers goalie Mike Smith got his second start in as many games with Mikko Koskinen in COVID protocol. He still looked rusty after being sidelined for over a month.
The Vancouver Canucks’ playoff hopes took a hit after falling 6-3 to the New York Islanders. Zach Parise scored in his 1,100th career game as the Isles tallied five times in the first period, including three goals 31 seconds apart, driving Jaroslav Halak from the net. The Canucks sit six points back of the Flames.
Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Robby Fabbri and Pius Suter each had a goal and an assist to give the Detroit Red Wings a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Wings defenseman Moritz Seider collected two assists.
Arizona Coyotes goalie Karel Vejmelka made 34 saves to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-2. Nick Schmaltz scored two goals while Phil Kessel and Alex Galchenyuk each had a goal and an assist.
HEADLINES
MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens yesterday fired Dominique Ducharme as head coach, replacing him with Martin St. Louis on an interim basis.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers question why the Canadiens would replace Ducharme now rather than at the end of this season, concerned that it will hurt the club’s chances of winning the draft lottery. However, making no changes risked worsening an already toxic atmosphere within the dressing room. It wasn’t that the Habs were losing so many games so much as they were such lopsided, dispiriting losses lacking any sustained level of competition on the players’ part. Leaving the situation unaddressed risked worsening the situation and making the anticipated rebuild that much tougher to accomplish.
Ducharme’s supporters point out he came into the role under difficult circumstances, not the least of which is the Canadiens’ reportedly on pace to exceed 600 man-games lost to injury and illness this season. Nevertheless, a number of veterans seemed to have tuned him out while the younger players were growing discouraged.
The hiring of St. Louis was a surprise. On the one hand, he has no coaching experience other than at the peewee level. He’ll have to rely heavily on the coaching staff and there’s no certainty he’ll be able to move the needle in a positive direction. On the other, he’s a Hall-of-Famer who was well-respected in part for his leadership one and off the ice during his playing days. He’s also in the role for only a couple of months and can be replaced in the offseason if he doesn’t pan out.
If this hiring succeeds, hockey ops VP Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes will look like geniuses for thinking outside the box. If it fails, it will shake whatever confidence Montreal pundits and fans have in the new management team, casting a shadow of doubt over their plans for this franchise.
Speaking of the Canadiens, former Tampa Bay Lightning star Vincent Lecavalier denied a report claiming he was about to be hired as assistant GM.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask officially retired yesterday, citing his body’s slow recovery from offseason hip surgery. He spent his entire 15-season NHL career with the Bruins, finishing as their all-time leader in games played for goalies with 564 and wins with 308, as well as second all-time with a 2.28 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and 52 shutouts. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2014, the Jennings Trophy in 2020 and backstopped the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 and 2019.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Rask and his family in their future endeavors. He was unappreciated at times by some Bruins fans but will forever rank among their greatest goaltenders.
Speaking of the Bruins, winger Brad Marchand received a six-game suspension for roughing and high-sticking Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during Tuesday’s game. They also learned captain Patrice Bergeron has been ruled out of tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes after suffering an upper-body injury (head) in that game against the Penguins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand’s supporters say the Bruins winger was in reaction to Jarry apparently slashing or spearing teammate Charlie Coyle. Regardless, his actions were over-the-top and has taken the oft-suspended scorer out of the lineup for a significant period of time.
STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues signed head coach Craig Berube to a three-year contract extension.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise there. Berube coached the Blues to their first-ever Stanley Cup (2019) and has made them a perennial playoff club during his tenure.
THE PROVINCE: Former US Women’s hockey star Cammi Granato will join the Vancouver Canucks as an assistant general manager. She joins Emilie Castonguay, who was also hired as an assistant GM by the Canucks earlier this year.
TSN: The Seattle Kraken claimed defenseman Dennis Cholowski off waivers from the Washington Capitals.
Notorious George Parros has to be more consistent with his punishment of players.
Marchand has officially lost over 1 million in salary due to suspensions.
He has also passed Chris Pronger for a record number of suspensions for his career.
That’s something to hang your hat on.
I hate what the Habs are doing.
Tonight B’s vs Carolina just as Kramer said in the Seinfeld episode Marlboro Man “ Look away It’s Hideous,” no Patrice, no March, I’ve Taped Shot in The Dark which I’ll watch instead. They haven’t a hope in you know what to win. As for the March suspension, Brad constantly being used as a scapegoat tired of it. Until Sweeney swings a trade which is about as likely as squeezing the tooth paste back in the tube. I’m fed up with it all.
Brad reacted in a “writ of felous jage …”
Funniest movies all time
Can’t argue with that … let’s see, time for a spell on the billiard table – now where’s that bridge-cue? squish … squish … squish ….
Scapegoat??? and you guys wonder why I am the way I am around here …you win the internet today fanboy,
6 games is just about right. Guess even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Chrism question for you. You constantly come on here banging your drum, you don’t like physical hockey, you want peoples careers ended ie Milbury, Roenick, Cherry. Anything that doesn’t fit your ideology.
The one that blew me away was you wanted Cherry off the airwaves and admitted that you never watched him.
Yet Jarry takes a swing with his stick at an unsuspecting player and you go quiet?
Is it just things outside of Pittsburgh that bother you?
For the record i’m ok with the 6 game suspension.
I have heard about said stick swing but haven’t seen it. Hence no comment. So…
Googled it. If what your talking about is the twitter video I saw then I fail to see the comparison. I saw a slash or reverse spear as the player skated past the net. Maybe a two minute penalty. Not good but nothing g to warrant the marchand reaction. On number 13 right? Is this the right video?
And the game is better for milbury and cherry being gone. Don’t wish them any Personal I’ll will. If they had left cause the split the powerball and were on a tropical island that would have worked just as nicely.
And finally. Physical hockey is fine. In the context of the game. I don’t like the ridiculous code of honor crap that encourages fighting and cheap shots… neither of which have anything to do with game itself. I’ll take me some good hard body checks to separate the man from the pick anytime
Re Marchand debate.
I am big on who started it being the key culprit in any of these scenarios, and yes if the reaction is full psychopath, then deal with it accordingly. It wasn’t.
Jarry started it with a cheap shot, got paid back in kind. Deserved it. If you don’t want to receive it, don’t start it. The way it is, always will be and needs to be.
Marchand punched him in the head, and then poked him in the face with his stick. The reason this isn’t over the top is because Jarry is wearing a full mask/helmet that is made to absorb pucks at over 100 MPH, and sticks hitting him in the face regularly. He wasn’t going to get hurt by either incident, Marchand didn’t hit him that hard, and he wasn’t going down until he realized he should, for dramatic effect. Not like a hit from behind or an across the ice targeted head shot. It was not, IMO, an attempt to injure.
Goalies who want to get involved in the physical part of the game are the worst, and then flop around when they get some in return while wearing full body armor. Whatever, can’t stand those guys.
Marchand is Marchand, repeat offender, I get it. He will pay the price. Jarry starts it and acts like a whiny little bi***, and gets away scott free, talking sh** the entire time. Was probably laughing as he was chirping, because he was fine. At least that is the way I see it.
I used to like the Jarry. B’s need to get in this guys grill repeatedly when they play them again.
Chrism you’re funny trying to down play it. Thanks for showing your colors.
In your world as long as people agree or think the same way as you your good.
however if they don’t you want them gone and don’t care how, just get rid of them.
As per the names i reference i didn’t care for Milbury or Roenick, just like i don’t like to listen to Kevin Bieska or Paul Bissonnette. If they lose there job because they don’t bring in ratings I’m good with that; however, if they lost their job because of something they said, then i’m not ok with that. Just because it doesn’t agree with the Chrism of the world.
We all have fan colors caper. I’m no different. But not seeing a comparison for a shot made in the middle of play and punching a man on the head from behind and then jabbing him in the face. Maybe it’s Fanny of me but if that’s so its no different than you trying to justify brads actions.
You seem like a overall good fellow caper. I’m sorry you don’t believe that their should be consequences for peoples words and actions. The fellows that lost their job caused harm to their employers and they paid the price. You think I’m only ok with people who think and say what I like? But then get upset at people who disagreed with you and complained about those fellows? Do you not see the contradiction in that line of thought?
Chrism this will be my last comment on the subject.
I’m not calling you out because we have a difference in opinions.
That’s all well and good I enjoy a good debate.
My issue is with anyone who wants someone to lose their job because they don’t like what he said.
No different then my debate with Ray over Kane.
I may not like their actions or words; but I dont want them to lose their livelihood because media and some not so well intention fans demand it.
Ok caper. When your jobs primary responsibility is to say things… then you should be judged on what you say. I do sincerely hope you have a wonderful day.
I don’t know if the sincerely makes that sound sarcastic cause I sincerely meant it….
Dang it.
It’s also wrong 98% of the rest of the day.
While I think Dom Ducharme walked into a bad situation he did take them to the SCF.
Injuries and Covid impacted the league but the Habs much more blah blah, losing both goalies blah blah, its the reality he had to coach with.
Losing is one thing, the lack of effort is something else and for whatever the reason, the team gave up on him.
I doubt there’s anybody out there who thinks Martin St. Louis is the answer given his total lack of coaching experience.
The assistant coaches are all there, the same ones who devised effective systems for the playoff run.
St. Louis seems to be there as a confidence builder and as an evaluator of talent and character to help Gorton and Hughes and his success as coach will be a bonus.
Marty gets a no pressure start to his coaching career which could be good.
and yes you cannot dismiss that Ducharme pushed the right buttons to get to the SCF.
Danault averaged 19 minutes in the playoff run per game and Weber 25 mins. Lost those both and your goalie….
Agree, HabFan. St. Louis is basically there to stop the bleeding for now. If it doesn’t work, I doubt that too many people will seriously lose faith in the new management team given the fact that things were going seriously downhill to begin with. In essence, the job of deconstructing the current squad begins as the trade deadline approaches. The rebuild will begin this summer.
habfan30 does Ducharme get another coaching chance in the Nhl? He has a good coaching resume.
Ducharme gets another NHL head coaching job only if the Nordiques are awarded a franchise or when enough time has passed in Montreal that he gets a 2nd kick at the can in Montreal ala Julien and Therrien
caper,
Dom Ducharme will get another shot on account of his resume.
He may go the route of WJC and/or asst coach.
Its pretty clear he was navigating through a perfect storm.
I agree with what has been said above RE: St, Louis. I would add he only needs yo get the Habs players to look good until the trade deadline; show the potential to help other teams chasing the Cup this year to get the Habs the maximum return. After that it is to try and get as many fans in the stands for the rest of the season.
I am DD will need some serious coaching rehab before he gets back to the NHL. I was truly shock that even the hint of a system was missing almost all year. I saw a hint of a system for part of 2-3 games after the winter break but it vaporized. I thought/hoped we could see something after the pre-season but no, nothing. I get all the man games loss but their needed to be the hint of something. He had to go. He is a professional at the highest level…. Making something out of nothing is what a pro does. He didn’t.
I agree with the take I read on Sportsnet this AM, St Louis will have the players respect. It was suggested that Ducharme had lost it.
Only coaching experience he has is kids, but he did play in the NHL for a very long time on good teams, so not like a total green horn.
As long as his asst’s keep it all organized, he has a chance to improve the team. Not sure what the bar for success even is?
What is really sad about the Marchand vs. Jarry incident is that someone from the Penguins didn’t beat the hell out of Marchand for going after their goalie. He always seems like a ticking time bomb just waiting to pop. His history of slew-footing is well documented which tells me he has a total disregard for what his actions could do to another player. He has truly earned the name “Rat”. I have another name for him but it probably would not be allowed on here.
Brad Marchand got a 6 game suspension he’ll be out for 2 weeks.
This is a good thing, Marchand shoulder hasn’t fully heal for the crosscheck from behind he received, this will help the healing process and he will be back, healthier, rested and hungrier.
More concerning is Bergeron after Crosby taking his skates out causing a head injury.
Incidental contact with Crosby caused Bergeron to fall. Watch the replay. Crosby and Bergeron respect each other both on and off the ice. Anyone who thinks Sid did something like that to Patrice on purpose, just doesn’t know anything about hockey or either of those guys.
Randino did I say something wrong? You claimed you watched the video? Did Crosby not take Bergeron skates out? Or did Bergy magically fall on his own?
Who said they weren’t friends?
I’m just stating a fact
Crosby had no intention of taking Bergeron out. Incidental contact.
Again Crosby took Bergeron skates out and caused the injury. This isn’t a debate it’s a fact.
I didn’t say it was intentional just stating the fact:
Crosby took out Bergeron skates
Yes it was incidental, and he wasn’t trying to hurt Bergeron. It was also interference that wasn’t called. Then they call the a bogus make up call on Crosby, so all good I suppose.
Unfortunate, but will give some youngsters a chance to get some NHL reps with these 2 out. Just gotta stay ahead is the Isles.
could have been worse , he could have Steckle’d him.
Or crosbyed him and tried to can open his nards
The Habs mess first. Ducharme is not an NHL calibre coach. Great with kids. Stay in junior. – Meanwhile Luke Richardson…..sigh….
As for Marchand. It’s amazing how polarizing this player is and this incident is.
You are either on one side it seems or the other. My kid is a Bruins fan. I watch more B’s hockey than Sens and I live in Ottawa. Is he a player that plays on the edge? Yes. Has he done a bunch of stupid crap. Yes. Repeat offender? Yup. Did he deserve a suspension this time. Sure did. Is 6 games about right? Ya…Im fine with it. I’ve watched the replay about 10 times. The punch had less force than one 9 year old hitting another. And the stick to the face was a similarly “hey you dyckhead…do I have your attention” type tap. The people that have lost their minds comparing it to Donald Brasheer and McSorely…..I just can’t even.
Well said.
I agree that Marchand’s actions didn’t reach the level of Donald Brasheer’s or whatever. 10 games may have sent the proper message. I think 6 invites a repeat occurrence. We’ll have to wait and see i guess.
McSorley hit Brashear in the head with his stick, not an action by Brashear.
2.0, I recall the incident. In haste I typed the incorrect name there, my fault. McSorley ended up in court over that specific incident if i remember correctly.
As a lifelong pens fan I have seen some nastiness on my team. Ulf. Bonvie Cooke. I cheered for ulf. As a young child I loved it. It was cooke that changed my view of that type of player. Watching him headhunt was embarrassing as a fan. He changed my view on what’s worth cheering for. A winner? Or a team with some principles. The pens handling of cooke, though belated, made me proud. Benching him and making him get help over the immediate on ice needs. I don’t ever want that type of player on the pens again. Marchand is far a better player than cooke but this is where I would hope some Boston fans see what I saw. It’s just not worth compromising your dignity to cheer for a team that sanctions this type of way beyond repeated bologna.
Cooke – not to mention deliberately slicing a player’s Achilles tendon with his skate blade.
George, Not to defend matt cooke here, he deserved every suspension he ever received and then some. I still don’t think Cooke deliberately sliced Karlsson’s Achilles. I saw that game on TV when it happened and have watched the replay many times. It doesn’t look great but I really don’t think he intended to injure or injure to that degree.
Not sure we can ever know for sure but cooke, much like another player in the news recently, did deliberately attempt to injure players. If that there is no doubt. So I don’t think he gets the benefit of the doubt.
Not a great comparison. Cooke would be top 5 dirtiest of all time for the seriously dangerous plays. Ulfie would be top 5 as well.
I can think of one hit where Marchand targeted a guys head, or was negligent about it. The slew foots, suspension worthy bad, but not Cooke head shots bad.
This last one wasn’t going to hurt anyone. Licking? Gross but not gonna hurt anybody. Low hits, one of many guys who do it, not a fan, but weren’t even called until fairly recently if at the hip.
Cooke isn’t in Wilson territory, but closer to him than Marchand.
Chrisms, fair enough. I agree, it’s definitely tough to give Matt Cooke the benefit of the doubt. Regardless of the situation.
I think it’s fair. You could argue degree. But both deliberately attempt to injure throughout their career. Both lose their mind and can’t control themselves. And both should have been or should be called out by their team. Cooke eventually was but he remains a black eye in pens history. The longer marchand goes without his team publicly saying enough is enough the bigger shame it is for bruins. Same goes twofold for caps and Wilson.
I am arguing degree chrisms, was the point of my post. Degree matters, or at least it used to and it should. In everything.
I think Marchand deliberately tried to hurt guys in the past a couple times, not any more. Don’t get me wrong, he had to change, he did get called out by his coach, and he did. IMO any way.
The recent one does not qualify as attempt to injure, the licking doesn’t, the stick dropping on a guys shoulder doesn’t, the low hits don’t, they used to be called a hip check when Potvin did them regularly. But now a penalty, learn and stop. I’ve gone ass over tea kettle a few times, not that big a deal.
Do you think he tried to injury Jarry a couple nights ago?
You young folks sure are big on shame. Us old guys do really struggle understanding it, it is genuine on our end, as I am sure it is on yours, but we are different that way.
No what he did did was not an attempt to injure this time. It was an uncontrolled fit of anger.
Most fans take their teams positive attributes and bask in them. They make that part of their identity They ignore the bad. I learned from the cooke thing that I didn’t like having a cooke on my team as it reflected on me cheering them on. Having a marchand on the bruins reflects on the fans that ignore the bad.
It’s kinda like how fans will say…. We won! But will also say. They lost! When talking about their teams.
Not sure uncontrolled fit of anger is how I would say it, but sure.
I would suggest he was mad, said fuq it, and punched him in the head. More revenge, but hey 6 of 1 thing.
I think Jarry had it coming, and got it. Not the first time, won’t be the last.
Likely happens tonight to some “degree” in a game. Likely won’t be a suspension.
Just the way it is when men fly around hitting each other carrying sticks, and use them to whack guys. Guys get pissed off, and if it isn’t called more pissed off. Kind of how we are wired. Totally get it and understand it, done it myself when it got intense, and it can get intense.
Happened with me and an ex Pen Grant Jennings. Happened on the ice, he came at me outside the rink in Melfort Sask after the game. I lost. He was in Humboldt the following year, good guy.
Not gonna change IMO.
Wow. A grant Jennings reference. The throw in of the Francis trade. Good for you man. My only claim to nhl fame is I played driveway hockey with Ryan Malone once. Also used to play neighborhood hockey with Dylan Reese a brief nhler. My best is my little bro was friends with grant Lewis. Played some driveway hockey with him. Was a second round pick by thrashers. Think he only played one nhl game. But my bro was holding my stick and I was trying to pull it away. He let go and the momentum swung it around and hit grant in the face. They ganged up and said I did it on purpose. Grounded for a week. Jerks.
Good story! Hated getting grounded. Only other one I have is Brad Lauer, played with him in the ‘Bolt. Islanders for a while, just after glory days.
Jennings has a fishing camp now in northern BC if your into that type of thing.
Agreed,
Jarry definitely sold the hell out of that punch. I thought diving was part of the summer games?
DD clearly had to go. Lost the room and players quit on him. I don’t blame this season on him based on all the man games lost but his record in the regular season last year was not as good as Julien’s and DD got rewarded with a 3 yr contract because Price and Weber found their game and inspired the players around them to do same. DD lost me last year when he started the playoffs sitting KK, Romanov and Caufield. His decision to sit KK in the SCF (this ending KK’s career in Montreal) would have been enough for me to fire him. That GMMB rewarded him with a 3 year contract is part of the reason why he is now in LA.
If I were a professional hockey coach I would be insulted by the hiring of MSL. To think someone with no experience can simply come in and coach a professional team is ludicrous. Yes, he had an excellent career but so did Gretzky and how did that experiment work out? I agree it is an outside the box hire but it is so far outside the box, you can’t even see the box! I’m sure now that DD is gone, the Habs will play better and I’m sure some of the credit will go to MSL but here’s hoping saner heads will prevail and they go and sign 2 associate coaches – one of them being Paul Maurice and the other one being anyone who can speak French.
The only way it makes sense is viewing it as some change, any change, to try and reset the atmosphere around the team. Yes, most nights the Habs have had an AHL line up and crap for goalies, but the roster is something that couldn’t be changed.
Why someone with zero NHL experience? One thought is that the fan base have tuned the Habs out like the veterans have (supposedly) tuned out Ducharme. It thus doesn’t matter who’s behind the bench. The Habs cannot get worse.
“ Spoiler Alert “ If you’re a bruin fan turn away…….. tonight’s final score without Bergy and Brad Canes 6- Bruins zip it ain’t gonna be pretty
Similar to the Pittsburgh game tonight – easy pickings for the Penguins.
Won’t be dropping $100 on the B’s to win straight up, but you never know Rick.
Circle the wagons, get some saves, and ya never know. Studnicka gets a shot on the 3rd line, will be curious to see how much he engages in the battle.
Might surprise us.
Rick I’m expecting a Boston win. 5-2
You’re a lot more optimistic than I am. With Brad and Bergy in the lineup if they play the way they are capable of playing they have a chance without them they are toast.
I would love to be a fly on the wall at a players only team meeting after DD gets fired. I’m sure there will be some players who are rejoicing now that DD is gone and thinking anybody has to be better than DD. There may also be other players who may be thinking what’s going on here? They just fired an inexperienced head coach who at least had some experience at the junior level and replaced him with someone who has NO experience? Get me the hell out of here. What is even more scary is that free agents and God forbid draft picks will refuse to go to Montreal. So I agree the Habs cannot get any worse but I fear that with decisions like this one, they won’t get any better either. They need someone with credibility behind the bench. They need a coach who commands respect and who holds players accountable. They need a coach with a resume. It does matter who’s behind the bench… if winning is the objective
Caro -144 tonight @ Bos ….. who’s buying ?
Sorry Joe I can’t watch the slaughter tonight. Sweeney needs to make a move and that doesn’t include the recyclables in Providence. I’ve got Inspector Clouseau ( The Real McCoy not horrible reboot) on the tube this evening.
No doubt there are some in here who will emulate the thinly-disguised President Ford and ask – as he did when the football game went off the air – “what’s a Clouseau?”
You’re right George, although when the first came out I was too young to know about it, but thanks to tv I became a big fan. Sellar’s was brilliant.
I watched Old Yeller last night for the first time since 1957 … what a depressing movie ….
I hate watching dogs die. I am guessing you have had to put some down as I have Joe.
Just thinking about that movie is depressing.
Ray Bark was a dog I had. The one I have now is named Bob.
Ray I’ve only had 3 dogs for a total of 44 years ….a 13 year old mutt… 17 year old Golden who ate everything in site & now have a 14 year old mix who’s failing ….that’s a lot of boarding $$$$
It’s devastating when you lose your best friend, just crushing if a movie involves a dog dying I won’t watch it. I can’t even watch the commercial with the mistreated animals for one second. Dogs know if you’re happy, sad or mad. They are experts at it. Now back to shot in the dark. Got mug of beer and some Priestley watching it with my best Buddy.
Late to the site today
Re Marchand… I AM a fan of his overall game… great playmaker, great goal scorer, great 200’ game, plays on the edge, great at trash talking, great one-liners
Not a fan by any stretch of the face licking antics and other past items (that seemed to be well in the past)
Had no idea what Parros would decide (it almost seems that he uses the Magic 8- Ball to make determinations on suspensions/fines)
I disagreed with 3 games for slew foot earlier in season; but Parros screwed himself (more specifically Marchand) with that ; forcing an offering of “in person hearing” (which allows for more than 5) just because what Marchand did the other day is worthy of more suspension than a slew foot
We know why he was angry… Jarry slash to his team-mate (slashes and jabs like that by goalies happen often… Soupy did one the other day and both Grubauer and Varly both did it same game and all 3 got away with it
So he’s (March) angry at that (slash) and further ire re not being called (understandable in that looking at the clip… both refs are not facing [looking] at net area… eyes looking elsewhere… so can’t call what wasn’t seen)
That said…. If you’re that angry and need to take a shot…. Do it so the guy can at least see it coming …. Maybe they square off. Who knows. Punching to the back of the head when Jarry is not facing him ( looking away and down) …..That I’m not with (by any stretch) Marchand. If he’d not got 3 for the slewfoot and all he did was the punch to the back of the head… 1 -2 games; add the spear to the mask (in that it was more annoying than intent to injure)…. Total 3 maybe 4 games. Because of the 3 games for slew foot (see above)…. That pushed the suspension length
Now Marchand and Bergeron and Rask out…. Next few games tough
As his coach alluded to… he needs to keep his reactions in check… play on the edge, not over, let his natural hockey skills shine