The NLA (Swiss) was one I took particular interest in after their first weekend scrap put them one fight behind the league total from a year ago. Another weekend in the books and they no longer trail in that category. Not only did they pass it, they already became the first league to feature a goalie fight which came at the same time as two other simultaneous fights. This league would have hands down been my last pick to see the first goalie scrap. Now, just two weekends in there have been eight fighting majors and ten game misconducts. Last season there were four fighting majors and 29 game misconducts.
From Finland over the weekend we got this hit.
That's 38 year old Jere Karalahti making some serious contact with Markus Poukkula. Karalahti had a brief NHL career and has since gone on to rack up some serious penalty minutes in an assortment of European leagues, something he didn't do while playing in North America. Four game ban for Jere which is four more than anything he got during the game for the hit which was nothing. If you are keeping track that is the second questionable hit that has made this page from Finland this season.
As previously stated I'm going to be hesitant with juniors but at a time when fighting is on the decline they sure enjoy a bout. Within the opening weekend of each junior league at least one player has recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick. Not that it is surprising. The older players tend to score more and play a physically stronger game against younger competition. There were also more regular hat tricks than I care to count.
And in a sport played predominantly in winter, in many northern states, provinces and countries, where travel can be brutal, we already had our first postponement of what I can only assume will be dozens if not closer to 50. In Sudbury of the OHL they couldn't even get the first game of the year going. Why?
Looks like somebody forgot to turn the fog machine off. No seriously, it was just really fucking foggy.
WARMING UP
Clearly we have to discuss the incident yesterday between Toronto and Buffalo as I'm sure it is making its way around the various sports shows especially that one that hates hockey. Interestingly in a year where I mention the physical side of the game seemed to ramp up across the leagues, we get an event like this in preseason albeit. The fighting and hitting aren't going away. Ask anybody that witnessed that game or anybody around Vancouver or Edmonton right now. I will address the issues and my take in the next post.
How was it that foggy? Really the fog machine? Yeah I actually caught the BUF/TOR fight on Comcast Sportsnet before I saw it on the channel that hates hockey. They talked about what the length of suspensions should be. I will interested to read your take on it. You said you would swing by to get the stick before your next game which was yesterday and you never did.
ReplyDeleteIt's all under control. You don't need a stick anyway.
ReplyDeleteI know I don't but I have another one so if you ever need one again you know where to find it. It is the same as the other one.
ReplyDelete