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Cooke is an instigator-type player. This is no secret, and I take his word with a grain of salt. BUT AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, OVIE set the tone with his knee on kee to Gonch, so no suspension for Ovie? I didn't expect one for Cooke. The accusation on Eaton? I have to disagree with. Eaton has never been a dirty player. As a Pens' fan, I hope Cole and Ruutu are able to recover and play for many reasons, one being if the Pens' win the series, they win it by not playing "dirty." Or that is at least what they will be accused of if they win the series.

Cooke's knee-on-knee was no more intentional than Ovechkin's, may have been going for a borderline check, but I do not believe the knee was the intentional target.

Haven't seen the Eaton hit, but if you are going after someone, why go after Ruutu, why not go after Jokenin (sp) or someone who has been producing more than one playoff goal?

The Ruutu-Eaton thing looked more like Eaton went in to push Ruutu out of the crease and in doing so caught each other's skates or Eaton slipped. Both fell, with Eaton sliding to the left and Ruutu going down awkwardly. Both get back to their skates and skate off. Having seen Eaton play many times, I have no qualms about declaring that he was merely attempting a defensive maneuver that went awry. It looked to be an accident. Eaton has no history of slew footing or controversial play.

Cooke on the other hand does have that history. But the NHL can't suspend or fine people for one offense and then not do it for another that is eerily similar. The Ovechkin-Gonchar hit was the same deal. That may not appease Carolina fans, but it didn't make Pens fans happy either when Gonchar went down and Ovechkin only got a tripping minor (not the kneeing major). Carolina was truly lucky that Walker didn't get suspended, or they wouldn't be in the ECF right now. Each incident (Walker-Ward, Ovechkin-Gonchar, Cooke-Cole) furstrated fans but it is what it is. We fans have to accept that hockey is a fast-paced and hard-hitting sport. Things will happen and we as fans can be as upset as we want but that won't change what happens on the ice or what the NHL calls.

You are both DEAD WRONG! Ovechkin went for the body as seen in the slow motion instant replay where you can CLEARLY SEE that Gonchar jumped out of the way of a check. There was nothing more to that hit than a 2 minute minor for interference which was questionable since Gonchar was playing the puck. However what your boy Cooke did was a LEG WHIP. If you watch the replay you can clearly see his leg STICKING OUT with the intent of, at the very least, tripping Cole. In my opinion he finds his inability, to land the intended cheap shot correctly, a benefit to his team because you have effectively taken one of Carolina's top scorers out of this game and perhaps longer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NjbZpjhPLU
Please watch the :48 second mark of this video and then tell me that you still think that this was not intentional. This should be a litnus test for Pitt fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwxTrxESWjI
Please watch the :45 second mark of this video and you will see that Ovie is leaning on his right leg in order to gain balance to hit Gonchar with his shoulder.

Therefore your biggest difference between these two hits are what the player led with. In Cooke's case he whiped his leg in front intentionally aiming for Cole's leg. This is obvious because you can see that his shoulder is nowhere near the "check" that he was trying to apply. In Ovie's case you can see that his shoulder was leaning forward thereby eliminating the intentional knee on knee call that all of Pittsburg feels he should have received.

I also find it appauling thta Ovie was called for an interference and Cooke did not receive squat. The puck was with both players or leaving both players when the hits were made. Therefore if you call interference on one you should at least call it on the other.

QUOTE:

Originally posted by

If Scott Walker didn't get suspended for sucker-punching Boston's Ward, there is no valid reason for ANYONE to get suspended anymore.

Good point.

QUOTE:

Originally posted by

If Scott Walker didn't get suspended for sucker-punching Boston's Ward, there is no valid reason for ANYONE to get suspended anymore.

Agreed. I am sorry, but we can debate (and it has been) the Ovie knee on knee/Cooke knee on knee til we are blue in the face, but it was made quite clear that there weren't going to be many suspensions during these playoffs.

And for the record, I don't think anyone is trying to make Cooke look like a saint in all this, including the Pens' fans. Far from it, in fact.

As I have said before, Eaton is not a dirty player. And I agree with a previous poster, I think it was a matter of an unfortunate entanglement.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 09:35 AM ET  05.21 by PensFan-DWI

Agreed. I am sorry, but we can debate (and it has been) the Ovie knee on knee/Cooke knee on knee til we are blue in the face, but it was made quite clear that there weren't going to be many suspensions during these playoffs. And for the record, I don't think anyone is trying to make Cooke look like a saint in all this, including the Pens' fans. Far from it, in fact. As I have said before, Eaton is not a dirty player. And I agree with a previous poster, I think it was a matter of an unfortunate entanglement.

My whole point is that there shouldn't be a debate. It is more than obvious what was happening in both clips. Even Bryan Berard could see those calls.

QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 09:48 AM ET  05.21 by metalcoconut

Even Bryan Berard could see those calls.

That's just wrong.

But I disagree about the Ovie hit (and others may too), so in fact, there is going to be debate there.

Again, NHL has been schizophrenic regarding suspensions/fines, etc. during these playoffs.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 09:19 AM ET  05.21 by metalcoconut

a benefit to his team because you have effectively taken one of Carolina's top scorers out of this game and perhaps longer.

Are you referring to Cole with his stellar 0 goals and 3 assists in 15 games or Ruutu with his equally impressive 1 goal and 3 assists in 15 games?

Cooke's hit was borderline to be sure, but has been said, no suspension for Ovie, no suspension for Cooke. And to say Ovie's shoulder was "close" to Gonch makes no difference in this fan's opinion.

The Eaton play on Ruutu was just an unfortunate event that happens in this physical game.

QUOTE:

Originally posted by

If Scott Walker didn't get suspended for sucker-punching Boston's Ward, there is no valid reason for ANYONE to get suspended anymore.

Exactamundo!

...and the Eaton hit was incidental. However the class of the Pittsburgh fans shines through again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqFb-WDOMcs
Watch the 5:05 minute mark. Pure class right there.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 09:19 AM ET  05.21 by metalcoconut

Please watch the :45 second mark of this video and you will see that Ovie is leaning on his right leg in order to gain balance to hit Gonchar with his shoulder.

Video tape evidence isn't the be all, end all anymore. R. Kelly proved that in his criminal trial! No one knows what the "intent" of the player is at th moment because we can never know what they are thinking at the time. How many times have you been playing a sport and did something you thought seemed completely routine...and then others thought was calculated? This has happened to me in rugby. Sometimes bodies just get twisted around and the video doesn't do you an justice. I am over the Ovie/Sarge hit. It happened. The players will straighten stuff like this out on their own. I understand its hard to give Cooke the benefit of the doubt here. Based on his reputation he doesn't deserve it. However Eaton has lost two years of his career because of two seperate slew foot incidents. I highly doubt someone who knows first hand how much that can screw up your career he is out there trying to ruin someone elses.

QUOTE(#14):

Originally posted 10:05 AM ET  05.21 by metalcoconut

...and the Eaton hit was incidental. However the class of the Pittsburgh fans shines through again...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqFb-WDOMcsWatch the 5:05 minute mark. Pure class right there.

I can't pull up the video. Please elaborate.

Every CITY has classless fans, dude. Seriously, I am not proud of the 14 year old giving Maurice the finger (I FREAKIN CRINGED), and I am not proud of the crowd chanting Cam Ward's name after the Pens' third goal. Every city has their morons, the Burgh included. I live amongst them. That all being said, you want to talk class? I will tell you a story (that actually has been published, and I can try to find it). When the Caps were in town and given a day off, they went to a DOWNTOWN restaurant in Pittsburgh. They were recognized by some of the patrons and bar owner. The patrons were asking for their autographs and the BAR OWNER TOOK DOWN THE PENS' SIGNS, etc., so "they wouldn't feel uncomfortable while eating, and they could relax." So, let's not get into this debate either. Because for the two or three classless Burgh fans there may be, I can show you a 100 with class.

These are the NHL Playoffs folks. Players will push the envelope as far as they can. Eaton & Cooke both did that...as does everyone this time of year.
OV in no way would jeopordize his own knee by leading with it to take out another guys...(Think about it)
Say what you want about Cole & Ruutu's goals...but each of them are very effective in several other ways for the Canes & will create bit holes if they cannot get back into action.
The Canes will rally behind this anyways...these stories are all about posturing.

QUOTE(#14):

Originally posted 10:05 AM ET  05.21 by metalcoconut

...and the Eaton hit was incidental. However the class of the Pittsburgh fans shines through again...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqFb-WDOMcsWatch the 5:05 minute mark. Pure class right there.

No doubt the cream of the crop of fan class is located on long island. Give it a rest bro. Fans are fans. Some take crap way to far. That doesn't mean everyone is that way. NY fans aren't exactly the standard of class either.

Wow... Karma is a hell of a thing isn't it?

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 09:19 AM ET  05.21 by metalcoconut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NjbZpjhPLU Please watch the :48 second mark of this video and then tell me that you still think that this was not intentional. This should be a litnus test for Pitt fans.

What's a "litnus" test?

Dan Bylsma is the new professor of goonism. :)