2/13/13 Senators v. Penguins- Official Game Thread

[joe icepick]

third or fourth line

[jwest21]

Matt Cooke before the third period:



Draw your own conclusions....

MAtt Cooke is secretly a ninja

[joe icepick]

third or fourth line

[Bioshock]

Bennett was in Pittsburgh tonight to be looked over by doctors and has been playing. When pressed on the subject of Bennett not leaving Pittsburgh Shero wouldn't commit one way or the other.

[AlexPKeaton]

So is the NHL brass going to listen to all of the whining from the Canadian media and fans and suspend Cooke?

[Rocco]

BTW, you're welcome everyone. Drive home safely. I'd also like to thank Cooke for giving us something to talk about after a win.

[thepittman]

Can't wait to watch the game for the first time because my cable sucks

[abwvu1]

Well that's disturbing

[GDR]

Next game vs. Ottawa is going to be the post-Johnson/DiPietro disaster all over again. All their post-game interviews say it was intentional. Do not dress Crosby, Malkin, or Letang.

[Gaucho]

Next game vs. Ottawa is going to be the post-Johnson/DiPietro disaster all over again. All their post-game interviews say it was intentional. Do not dress Crosby, Malkin, or Letang.

Why bother playing at all?

[AlexPKeaton]

Next game vs. Ottawa is going to be the post-Johnson/DiPietro disaster all over again. All their post-game interviews say it was intentional. Do not dress Crosby, Malkin, or Letang.

Meh, I'd rather just beat the crap out of them if they pull that.

[Gaucho]

Cooke is looking in the other direction, at the puck. How could it possibly be intentional?

[Lt. Dish]

I think Cooke got the misconduct to protect him and because he tried to throw Neil's stick into the crowd.

Cooke was given the misconduct as an excuse to get him off the ice, as others have mentioned.

I admit I'm perplexed at all the talk about reputation, because, while Cooke's reputation is understood and known, I don't believe it's material in this instance. I don't even believe his burgeoning (fledgling?) reputation as a reformed player matters here, either. I don't believe I'm being obtuse. If you examine the play discretely, first, as a hockey play, and assess it from that standpoint, then an appropriate question to ask would be, "What would 9 out of 10 players be doing in that same situation?" and then analyze timing, place, situation, etc. Jumping to reputation first in assessing the situation infuses the analysis with confirmation bias, which really renders the analysis as crap because it's not an analysis at all.

I've never played hockey, but I know enough basic physics and a smattering of kinesiology to believe that, if Cooke injured Karlsson intentionally--in the split second it happened and looking in the other direction--then he's a freakin' marvel. Zapruders all over the NHL fan spectrum can freeze frame and slow up the action, forgetting how fast hockey really is.

I agree with Aaron Ward's assessment on TSN that it was a hockey play and Cooke was attempting to re-establish balance. I'll add that if any other active player other than Matt Cooke were involved here, then we'd be left only with lamenting the loss of an exciting young talent and calling for Kevlar socks to be mandatory equipment. And that's not enough for some fans once they see the 24 and "Cooke" on the back of the sweater.

[jwest21]

Cooke is looking in the other direction, at the puck. How could it possibly be intentional?

I think using "Cooke" and "injury" together somehow lowers people's IQs 50 points

[Bioshock]

And here we go again. Another team gets a vendetta against the Pens because of something completely unintentional.

I just have no words for anyone who thinks that was intentional. Even the vast majority of people on the internet realize it was unintentional and normally you have every troll in the universe out in full force over Matt Cooke.

[Ad@m]

Anyone notice Cooke spitting a tooth, or teeth out?

[iWonTheCup87]

And here we go again. Another team gets a vendetta against the Pens because of something completely unintentional.

I just have no words for anyone who thinks that was intentional. Even the vast majority of people on the internet realize it was unintentional and normally you have every troll in the universe out in full force over Matt Cooke.

it has been shocking that even the internet trolls even admit it was an accident. I am nervous to play the Sens at home because i dont want someone like Neil taking runs at Crosby/Malkin

[MRandall25]

That photo shows a look of pure surprise/fear on Cooke's face, realizing what he did.

Caught him in the middle of a "Oh ****" moment.

[Lt. Dish]

And here we go again. Another team gets a vendetta against the Pens because of something completely unintentional.

I just have no words for anyone who thinks that was intentional. Even the vast majority of people on the internet realize it was unintentional and normally you have every troll in the universe out in full force over Matt Cooke.

Whatever you do, then, avoid the main board on HF at all costs. I admit I leaped over there about 30 seconds about the injury and the thread about it was already heading to page 3.

When will I learn?

I feel terrible for Karlsson. I do. He's a fantastic talent to watch and was building a great season for himself--almost putting the Sens on his back since Spezza has been out. But this kind of stuff happens to hockey players in the course of playing on skates with sharp blades. Ask Kevin Bieksa, Teemu Selanne, Robert Lang...

[Gaucho]

Good thing the Pens never had any injury trouble whatsoever over the least three seasons.

[jwest21]

Ha- the best is on Yahoo where someone claims it is a Canadian conspiracy to make sure that a Swede doesn't win another Norris trophy...Shanahan, TSN and Cooke are all in it together, like some sort of Maple Mafia. You can't make this stuff up

[cheesesteakwithegg]

If anyone should be suspended, it should b Neil.

[Lt. Dish]

So is the NHL brass going to listen to all of the whining from the Canadian media and fans and suspend Cooke?

You know what I'd like to see? I'd like to see Matt Cooke behind a mic saying:

"You know what? Enough. I get it. I've assumed responsibility for and have atoned for dangerous hits in the past. I'm still accountable for all of those hits, as I'm also accountable for continuing my work to be a more effective, less-reckless player. But I'm NOT going to take blame for this. I feel bad that this happened to Karlsson. But to say I did it intentionally is incorrect. We play hockey--on ice and with razor-sharp skate blades. This could have happened to anyone, and in fact it has happened to other players. I resent people saying that this particular instance only occurred because I happened to be involved."

But that wouldn't be a good thing and would get errybody riled. So, I'm not really serious.

[Bioshock]

So... Is Beau Bennett going to be called up only to be punched in the head and then taunted by Neil ala Tangradi later this spring?

[pens2005]

And here we go again. Another team gets a vendetta against the Pens because of something completely unintentional.

I just have no words for anyone who thinks that was intentional. Even the vast majority of people on the internet realize it was unintentional and normally you have every troll in the universe out in full force over Matt Cooke.

Whatever you do, then, avoid the main board on HF at all costs. I admit I leaped over there about 30 seconds about the injury and the thread about it was already heading to page 3.

When will I learn?

I feel terrible for Karlsson. I do. He's a fantastic talent to watch and was building a great season for himself--almost putting the Sens on his back since Spezza has been out. But this kind of stuff happens to hockey players in the course of playing on skates with sharp blades. Ask Kevin Bieksa, Teemu Selanne, Robert Lang...

...ask Sidney Crosby.