Hey, what can you say? You don't take out a teams' captain and star player with a high, hard, blindside hit delivered by a fourth liner, leave him bleeding on the ice and not expect a response in kind. Irregardless if the original hit was legal or not. Bryan Murray is a idiot if he thinks Buffalos' reaction was uncalled for or unwarranted.
Tonight, the encore.
OTTAWA -- Chris Drury is out.Well, it'll definitely be must see TV at the Oddman's house tonight, that's for sure. Thank God for satellite TV and CenterIce.
Brian McGrattan is in.
Other than that, nobody is sure just where the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators will pick things up tonight after Thursday night's bloody, fight-filled shootout.
Senators coach Bryan Murray said he will have tough guy McGrattan back in the lineup tonight for the rematch at Scotiabank Place.
What message will that send?
"I don't know," said Murray. "It depends on how they take it." [...]
"I've been in games where we've had bench brawls and then we played the team the next week and nothing happens," said McGrattan, who has been a healthy scratch for the last nine games. "We'll worry about getting two points."
Murray said he is concerned the usual "code," which allows the most talented players on the ice certain relief from abuse at the hands of the tough guys, has been shattered.
"What's happened now is the respect for the skilled players is not there between us," said Murray. "Beyond that, we'll dress a lineup and try to get the two points."
Peters was taking some hits yesterday for taking on a goaltender, even one with a reputation for scrapping.
Senators president Roy Mlakar told The Team 1200 he had received e-mails from a couple of NHL executives saying it was a cowardly act for Peters to fight a goaltender.
"I'm not using the word myself," said Mlakar.
Ruff admitted Peters might have crossed a line.
"I don't condone the tail end when Andrew's emotion ran a little bit hot. Mine was running a little bit hot. With their goaltender, maybe that was a little bit too far," said Ruff.
"But at the same time, they knocked out one of our best players, they knocked our captain out of the lineup with what I believe was a dirty shot. You don't lay down after that."
Emery will be back in the Ottawa net tonight.
"It's old-school hockey. Everybody in the building and watching at home is pretty excited. Everybody is going to be looking forward to (tonight's) game," said Neil.
Here's a blast from the past, although much more intense (they were back then), nevertheless is somewhat similar to the Buffalo-Ottawa ruckus, including a goalie on tough guy matchup.
Maybe old school style hockey is making a comeback. We'll just have to wait and see what (if anything) happens tonight. Regardless, it's got everybody buzzing about hockey again... and that's a good thing.
2 comments:
I'm kinda shocked that Ottawa let Peters go at Emery like that after Emery and Biron finished.?
And yeah, Murray is wrong to think that any retribution wasn't warranted. That hit wasn't shoulder to shoulder, he head hunted him by being slightly in front of Drury and glancing him.
Yeah Derek, THAT was shocking. As far as the hit goes it was a sucker check and like a sucker punch is a cheap shot in my book. I don't care for blind head shots. It's a cheap (not manly) way of laying someone out.
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