Posted on 01/28/2016 5:55:51 PM PST by BenLurkin
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman sent linesman Don Henderson to the ice when he checked him from behind during a game against the Nashville Predators.
In the second period Wednesday night, Wideman was skating toward the Flames' bench when he cross-checked Henderson, who had his back to the defenseman. Moments earlier, Wideman had taken a hit from the Predators' Miikka Salomaki.
Wideman said after the game that his hit to Henderson was unintentional.
"I took a pretty hard hit down in the corner and had some pretty good pain in my shoulder and my neck and I was just trying to get off the ice," Wideman said. "And I was kind of keeled over and at the last second, I looked up and I saw him and I couldn't avoid it."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxcarolina.com ...
I dunno. I saw it. Could be he got his bell rung and his first instinct on coming to was to hit something. I admit that is being generous.
"THIS IS HOCKEY!"
I just went to look for a photo of JP Parise raising his stick to a Russian (or East German) ref in 1972. I read half a dozen brief items describing it as “swinging his stick” “nearly decapitaitmg” “almost taking the refs head off” his stick “coming within inches of his head”, etc. In 10 seconds you can find it on you tube, it wasn’t even close to this. He skated towards the ref, raised his stick threateningly, but never took a swing at him.
But he cross checked the ref. Dumb move. Regardless of being hit. You cant hit the ref.
This picture seems to show him going to the Predators bench.
I understand the standard suspension is twenty games. If I were the NHL commissioner, I would ban him outright for the balance of this season and all of the next, forfeiting his salary. Send a message. I expect the referees will be demanding stern punishment.
Of course, the NHL does not have an actual commissioner.
Apparently you haven’t seen the video. He was skating parallel to and past the Predators’ bench toward his own when he leveled the linesman—that photo shows the immediate aftermath.
Clear intent. He took a stutter step just before he raised his stick to get better leverage for the cross-check.
Yeah, he nailed him on purpose. Not that the apologists will see it that way.
Well said.
Granted that Wideman appeared groggy even well after he'd sat down: It may be that he was in such a state as to hit the first thing he encountered that was not in a red uniform.
"I couldn't avoid it."
Geez. Give him an extra 10 weeks out with no pay, for that lie.
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