Speculation: Did Sestito "do the right thing" by continuing to throw punches at a turtling Nolan?

[Betamax*]

For those who missed the incident that occurred in the first period, January 13, 2014
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, California:



End result:

see: http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=400484938

Tom Sestito. 1 second TOI. 27 minutes in penalties. Put his team on the penalty kill for 7 minutes, where the Canucks successfully killed off.

Tom Sestito: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
2:33
Tom Sestito: 10 Minute Misconduct for Instigator
2:33
Tom Sestito: 2 Minutes for Instigator (Served by Darren Archibald)
2:33
Tom Sestito: 5 Minute Major for Fighting (Served by Darren Archibald)

Was it worth it? What say you?

Click to read more...

 

[GPNuck]

Yes


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[luongo321]

It's about time someone did it on this team. How many times do the Bruins do this and barely get any penalty minutes out of it? Those refs are a joke. The hate for vancouver is real by the refs. Disgraceful officiating in this league.

 

[Whitebear]

yep - loved it. The sedins have been putting up with this crap for way too long. The fact that killed the 7 minute pp made it even better.

 

[Vankiller Whale]

To be honest, no, but I can't say I'm unhappy with the message that was sent.

 

[Goon42]

Yes. Buddy runs our captain and thinks there would be no consequences. Every team in this league has taken liberties with the sedins with no repercussions for too long. I hope this is the response 100% of the time.

 

[Addison Rae]

yep - loved it. The sedins have been putting up with this crap for way too long. The fact that killed the 7 minute pp made it even better.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[y2kcanucks]

It's not just a yes. It's an "oh hell yeah!!!"

The one who should be ashamed and utterly embarrassed is Nolan. It isn't like Sestito jumped a soft player like Justin Williams or a star player like Kopitar. He jumped a tough guy. Nolan turtles after a play where he attempted a dirty hit running our captain. That's a disgrace.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

i'm interested to see what the anti-fighting crowd has to say about last nights game. because i sure as hell saw a lot of people enjoying the scraps and not a whole lot of complaining

 

[arsmaster*]

It's not just a yes. It's an "oh hell yeah!!!"

The one who should be ashamed and utterly embarrassed is Nolan. It isn't like Sestito jumped a soft player like Justin Williams or a star player like Kopitar. He jumped a tough guy. Nolan turtles after a play where he attempted a dirty hit running our captain. That's a disgrace.

Agreed, you take a healthy run at a teams Captain for the second time in weeks you better be ready to scrap.

Kitty kat stuff out of Nolan there.

 

[luongo321]

Also, I love Tortz on this team giving it to the refs. I think the team is starting to take on his mentality. Lots of fight in them.

 

[Ryp37]

Don't mind it at all he could have done way more damage

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Truthfully, I'm torn.

On the one hand - watching Nolan taking a flying run at Henrik, hanging the leg, etc. really got my blood boiling. There is definitely a part of me that is very happy that Sestito stood up for the team's captain and one of our top players. The fact that Nolan refused to be accountable for it was pathetic, and the fact that the officials didn't call a penalty on the play to enforce their own brand of accountability was perhaps more pathetic.

But...

All it takes is one unlucky punch and a situation like that becomes Steve Moore 2.0. I'm glad that ultimately nobody was hurt in this debacle. I appreciate Sestito coming to Henrik's defense. But I remain repulsed by the NHL's officials doing very little to protect a Hart Trophy winning All Star from being charged by a fourth line plug, thus forcing the players to resort to their own brand of frontier justice, which is far, far, far more dangerous and risky.

 

[CRDragon]

i'm interested to see what the anti-fighting crowd has to say about last nights game. because i sure as hell saw a lot of people enjoying the scraps and not a whole lot of complaining

The onus goes to the refs who can prevent situations like yesterday.

Just call a charge on Nolan. I don't think Sestito would have gone after him like that had the ref set the tone for the game with proper game management.

 

[sk8er]

And this is what I think happened as they were lining up for the face off....Sestito challenges **** head Nolan, Nolan agrees, then when the play starts, Nolan turtles. Making him even more of a loser in my opinion. I hope tommy boy nails every single cheap shot artist that goes after the Sedins in the future.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Truthfully, I'm torn.

On the one hand - watching Nolan taking a flying run at Henrik, hanging the leg, etc. really got my blood boiling. There is definitely a part of me that is very happy that Sestito stood up for the team's captain and one of our top players. The fact that Nolan refused to be accountable for it was pathetic, and the fact that the officials didn't call a penalty on the play to enforce their own brand of accountability was perhaps more pathetic.

But...

All it takes is one unlucky punch and a situation like that becomes Steve Moore 2.0. I'm glad that ultimately nobody was hurt in this debacle. I appreciate Sestito coming to Henrik's defense. But I remain repulsed by the NHL's officials doing very little to protect a Hart Trophy winning All Star from being charged by a fourth line plug, thus forcing the players to resort to their own brand of frontier justice, which is far, far, far more dangerous and risky.

Well you're right. The officials could have penalized Nolan and the situation probably doesn't happen. They didn't, so Sestito had to do what he did. And Sestito did it the right way, in a non reckless way which is what Bertuzzi didn't do. Better to just pummel the guy rather than driving him head first into the ice. Much more satisfying that way, and way less dangerous to the other player.

 

[arsmaster*]

Or called the dive on Brown on Kassian's "trip"....the ol' power ranger twirl and the subsequent PP's with Nolan and Co. running around let the game escape their grasps.

I also felt both misconducts on Kassian were absolutely ridiculous as well....joke worthy stuff really.

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

To be honest, no, but I can't say I'm unhappy with the message that was sent.

This is how I look at it, I loved that he went after Nolan but after it was clear that
Nolan was a turtle he should've stopped, it would've only been a 2 minute roughing minor and he could've gone after Nolan later on. That being said, I'm not overly upset with what Sestito did.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

The onus goes to the refs who can prevent situations like yesterday.

Just call a charge on Nolan. I don't think Sestito would have gone after him like that had the ref set the tone for the game with proper game management.

you could argue that a penalty isn't a severe enough punishment. people still wanted duncan keith to answer the bell despite getting penalized and serving a suspension.

 

[tantalum]

No because Sestito is a canuck.

Yes if he was on any other team.

Oh wait you asked for my opinion not the opinion of 29 other fan bases.

Yes. No doubt he did. And honestly he held up in the hopes that Nolan would actually engage (like he most likely agreed to before the puck dropped). Sestito could have destroyed him. At least seemed that way to me.

 

[arsmaster*]

Well you're right. The officials could have penalized Nolan and the situation probably doesn't happen. They didn't, so Sestito had to do what he did. And Sestito did it the right way, in a non reckless way which is what Bertuzzi didn't do. Better to just pummel the guy rather than driving him head first into the ice. Much more satisfying that way, and way less dangerous to the other player.

He was also staring him straight in the face, not from behind.

Nowhere close to Bertuzzi, and really all he did was shake after he realized Nolan was going to be a kitty kat about it.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Yep.

Punch till you either a)break his jaw b)knock him out c)refs get involved d)break your own hand e)fall over

Then do a Gino, rip off your jersey and challenge the entire opposing team to another fight.

Canucks have put up with too much **** in this past for me to care about any other team.

 

[arsmaster*]

This is how I look at it, I loved that he went after Nolan but after it was clear that
Nolan was a turtle he should've stopped, it would've only been a 2 minute roughing minor and he could've gone after Nolan later on. That being said, I'm not overly upset with what Sestito did.

He did hold up, he was getting 5 because his gloves were off regardless.

 

[sk8er]

The onus goes to the refs who can prevent situations like yesterday.

Just call a charge on Nolan. I don't think Sestito would have gone after him like that had the ref set the tone for the game with proper game management.

Agree 100%. Devourski is a senior ref....he probably is good buddies with Auger and still wants to punish the canucks for sullying that fools good name.
That was the most one sided crap I have seen in a long time. I have been thinking most of the newer refs have been pretty neutral in their penalty calling regarding the Canucks. Last night was a disgrace. Then there was him calling that high stick goal a good goal...what a fool!

 

[BeardyCanuck03]

Or called the dive on Brown on Kassian's "trip"....the ol' power ranger twirl and the subsequent PP's with Nolan and Co. running around let the game escape their grasps.

I also felt both misconducts on Kassian were absolutely ridiculous as well....joke worthy stuff really.

Kassian's first misconduct was 10 minutes for giving Willie Mitchell the "hairy eyeball" which Mitchell got as well.

The second misconduct was 10 minutes for being Zack Kassian. Sadly refs like to throw those out like candy when games get heated and a player like Kassian is playing with a chip on his shoulder.