After one of the most ridiculous plays you’ll ever see in a professional hockey game, Sharks forward Ryane Clowe had this to say – “I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I’ll have to see the video or something. Someone show me the video.”
OK sir, here you go…
ALTERNATE VIDEO FEED via YouTube: http://youtu.be/daaU4QCM5MY
Over in the other locker room, here’s what some of the Kings players were saying…
Justin Williams – “We all saw it from the bench. That’s why we were all hollering that he touched the puck and everybody was obviously upset about it…I don’t know what he was thinking. But, he got a away with it.”
Drew Doughty – “I’ve never seen that before. That could have been the difference in the game if the refs would have caught that. Sometimes they aren’t going to see things. I’m sure it’s hard for them to catch that, but if they catch that it’s another 5-on-3 for us and a good chance for us to capitalize. The game is over now and he did it…Stoll had a step on his guy. He was carrying the puck away from him and (Clowe) just reached over and got his stick on it…(It’s) definitely no accident. No chance that it was an accident…I don’t see why it shouldn’t be a suspension. It’s like running on a football field and hitting someone during play. I don’t see why it’s any different than that.”
Jarret Stoll – “I knew there was guy behind me, but he was maybe a couple strides behind me. I knew it definitely came from their bench…I knew right away and maybe that’s why I reacted the way I did. Maybe I should have kept playing and shut my mouth…Four guys can call that. You’d hope one of them can see it, and they didn’t. It’s a tough play. That’s the way it goes. You’ve got to battle through things, and that was one of the things we had to battle through, and we didn’t do it…Who knows what would have happened on the play, but nobody has ever seen anything like that. I knew it was from the bench, for sure.”
Coach Darryl Sutter – “What do you think my thoughts are? You can’t call too many men on the ice. What do you call it – too many sticks?…I’m surprised because Jarret was carrying the puck and nobody else saw it. It’s not the question of whether I’ve seen it before. I’m just surprised it didn’t get seen…Quite honest, I don’t even know what that call is. Is it unsportsmanlike? Or too many men? It’s got to be something. Delay of game. I’m not sure what it is, to be honest with you. It’s a penalty, but I’m not sure what it is.”
On a night when he had every reason to be ornery, Sutter was instead a quote machine – including this gem…
When asked if the refs told him that they didn’t see Clowe’s stick work from the bench, Sutter responded with – “Well, obviously they didn’t. I couldn’t text them or anything. But, obviously they didn’t or they would have called it.”
Pure gold.
This story isn’t over though, not by a long shot. We’re expecting there to be a second round of info to report over the next 24-36 hours. So, stay tuned.
Disappointing that the league is not taking any action on this incident. Although this would have warranted at most a minor penalty *had it been caught*, the league should at least have taken the step to fine Clowe as a clear message to the players.
Now you will have players seriously considering taking this type of action when the game is on the line. Its a slippery slope argument. But we already have the concept ‘good’ penalties. How long until players start looking at this as a ‘good’ penalty to take in order to break up a scoring chance?
If it never happened before, the league needs to look into the matter and come up with a rule for an incident like this just like Avery facing/blocking New Jersey net minder before…it is not acceptable for any players to do this and claim innocence.
I was at the game last night. The refs seemed to have been paid-off. It really was, that bad. Worst EVER!!
Karma’s a Biatch,
‘Nuff said.