Doughty Hit on Carrier (UPD: Suspended One Game)

[Daz28]

Yeah Im saying there is no way to stop that hit. Giordano begins the action of stepping into his hit prior to Aho toe dragging The time elapsed in REAL TIME (not slow mo) equates to less than a second, close to half a second.

Thats near impossible to react to and in fact may be impossible. I help run hitting clinics so Id know a thing or two about it, it was unavoidable unfortunately

It could be either, we'll never know. I just don't think Gio is as clean as most people think, so I really don't give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[AngelDuck]

He's not getting suspended. The league isn't going to suspend a star player in the playoffs. If this was in the regular season or a more inconsequential player than Doughty, it would be a game or two

Move along

 

[Pinkfloyd]

LOL so then why is the NHL telling it's own players again not to put themselves in vulnerable positions?

NHL telling them that doesn't mean that that responsibility is equal to the hitter's responsibility. One results in a penalty and the other doesn't. Pretty easy really.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

NHL telling them that doesn't mean that that responsibility is equal to the hitter's responsibility. One results in a penalty and the other doesn't. Pretty easy really.

Actually neither results in a penalty, one MAY result in supplemental discipline, or...it may not....but there's a reason why the NHL doesn't suspend players when the opposing players places themselves in a vulnerable position.

 

[HanSolo]

It is though, it's absolutely equal. Call me callous, sure, but if you are that unaware of your surroundings going into the offensive zone, after you've been running everyone, in a hotly contested playoff game, you are going to get hit, you are going to get hit hard, and it won't be pretty.

Nothing about what I just said absolves Doughty of anything, he mis-timed the hit, was off angle by not very much, and he might get fined for it,

What either did are not mutually exclusive you realize that right?

I fully understand they're not mutually exclusive. It's just irrelevant. Players 95% of the time when they look down at the puck either get through the zone just fine, or get laid out by a hard clean hit. That 5% is where we currently find ourselves. And the rules are in place that in terms of hits to the body, yes the player shouldn't put himself in a vulnerable position. But as it relates to impacts to the head, there is nothing in the rules that say it's the responsibility of the player to protect himself.

And as to a moral/holistic review of the idea that hits to the head are equally the fault of the player who had his head down as the guy that threw the hit. Objects don't move without an outside force moving it. Carrier's jaw and head doesn't move without getting clipped by Doughty's shoulder. Doughty's shoulder not being around the jaw results in no impact to Carrier's head. How is this hard? Doughty had more than enough time to properly aim his hit so as to minimize impact around the head. Not doing so is a greater cause of the impact to the head than Carrier's lack of awareness. Is it a deer's fault for its own death if it stands still and out in the open when a hunter guns it down? Perhaps a bit, but death doesn't occur without the act of the hunter. Carrier's head being down isn't an invitation to for Doughty's shoulder to go up high and around the head.

As I said in another post. Carrier could run around 12-15 minutes a game or however long he plays for the entirety with his head down. I mean it would be a dumb way to play hockey, but he could do without one person hitting him. The hit to Carrier's head doesn't happen if Doughty angles his check lower. Period. If you want to go on doing the mental gymnastics of saying a victim and hitter have the same burden to be aware, that's your prerogative. But I guess Maroon shouldn't have been suspended, eh? If Doughty was paying attention he wouldn't have gotten hit up high.

 

[theMajor]

Torres got suspended for up to 6 games for a similar, slightly cleaner (more shoulder contact) hit on Stoll back in 2013. Happened in game 1 of the series and he was suspended the rest of the series. Doughty should get at least 2 games but DoPS is garbage so he will probably only get 1

eh, DD has no history. highly doubt he gets a game for this

 

[snopro31]

Should be no fine, no suspension.

 

[tarheelhockey]

That's a really awkward hit, but I don't see it being suspendable or even a penalty.

Doughty made an ordinary approach to the hit, squared the guy up, led with the shoulder, had a good deep knee bend at the time of contact, and he didn't launch up into it or anything like that. He actually slowed down very slightly before the hit, so there's not even a charging call there. Everything about the way he led into it was textbook, just the way you'd coach it.

The only reason for the head contact was Carrier's trying to pull up at the last possible half-second, while he was still in a leaning-forward position. If Carrier just commits to the play he takes that hit square on the shoulder... gets posterized maybe, but doesn't put himself in a dangerous position.

I realize the league puts a heavy onus on the hitter to avoid making head contact, but I don't know what you expect Doughty to do differently here. Try to clip Carrier instead, aiming for the knees? Try to hit him in the butt?

 

[Bounces R Way]

Not a good hit at all and exactly the type the NHL have been trying to get rid of. Picks the head and doesn't finish through the body. If the NHL were serious about concussions they would suspend Doughty for this hit.

 

[IceNeophyte]

???

I have no interest in either team

I meant, we were welcomed to playoff hockey with a 1-0 series lead.

 

[BigKing]

People giving way too much credit to Carrier in this thread and I'm probably the biggest critic on the Kings' board of Doughty losing his cool.

This is playoff hockey. Doughty has thrown checks before. He's playing defense and trying to separate the man from the puck.

Not a comment on the actual hit, just saying that it was a hockey play and not Doughty looking to avenge being hit earlier.

Doughty gets hit. A lot. It's almost as if other teams game plan to hit and wear down arguably the best defenseman in the world. He's been through this many times: this isn't a case of him losing his cool at all. He goes for that hit no matter who was carrying the puck.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Actually neither results in a penalty, one MAY result in supplemental discipline, or...it may not....but there's a reason why the NHL doesn't suspend players when the opposing players places themselves in a vulnerable position.

This is a response that happens when you're purposely being obtuse. When one abdicates the hitter's responsibility, it results in a penalty. When one abdicates the hittee's responsibility, no penalty is called. Therefore, the one that results in a penalty compared to one that doesn't makes the responsibilities unequal. No matter what kind of mental gymnastics you want to try and pull, you can't escape that reality.

 

[AngelDuck]

People giving way too much credit to Carrier in this thread and I'm probably the biggest critic on the Kings' board of Doughty losing his cool.

This is playoff hockey. Doughty has thrown checks before. He's playing defense and trying to separate the man from the puck.

Not a comment on the actual hit, just saying that it was a hockey play and not Doughty looking to avenge being hit earlier.

Doughty gets hit. A lot. It's almost as if other teams game plan to hit and wear down arguably the best defenseman in the world. He's been through this many times: this isn't a case of him losing his cool at all. He goes for that hit no matter who was carrying the puck.

I somewhat agree with this, but you have to admit that this type of hit has been given suspensions by the league before. The league isn't going to suspend a superstar in the playoffs though, so it's pointless discussing

There just isn't much consistency, and I have a feeling even the players don't know what is suspension worthy and what isn't now

 

[SFKingshomer]

Not even thread worthy. His head and shoulder were at Doughty's shoulder height. Keep your head up...NHL is getting way too soft if hits like this are going to be reviewed. Scott Stevens wouldn't have made it in todays game....

 

[Mattb124]

Torres got suspended for up to 6 games for a similar, slightly cleaner (more shoulder contact) hit on Stoll back in 2013. Happened in game 1 of the series and he was suspended the rest of the series. Doughty should get at least 2 games but DoPS is garbage so he will probably only get 1

This, virtually identical to the Torres hit by Torres got more shoulder and had a history.

 

[Sol]

That hit didn't even hit any specific point. Carrier probably sold it. And I'm sure the league is working for Vegas considering the fact they aren't review two boards that happened from Vegas.

Doughty throws one questionable hit while Vegas was taking illegal runs.

Joke league will be a joke.

 

[BigKing]

I somewhat agree with this, but you have to admit that this type of hit has been given suspensions by the league before. The league isn't going to suspend a superstar in the playoffs though, so it's pointless discussing

There just isn't much consistency, and I have a feeling even the players don't know what is suspension worthy and what isn't now

I'm not commenting on the suspension worthiness of the hit but rather the narrative of this being a "revenge" hit when I hope any Kings defenseman would go for a big hit in that situation regardless of the puck carrier.

I know this is the new NHL, but I still think this is playoff hockey. No fights in a 7-0 PIT/PHI is making me rethink things a bit but, still, I expect any forward cutting to the middle of the ice with his head down to get popped. Unfortunately, Doughty didn't get enough of the shoulder so he might pay for it.

There are similar hits that have received multiple games and there are worse hits that have received nothing. Everything is in Doughty's favor as far as it being playoffs, no history and he's a superstar but I will not be shocked by anything from the DoPS.

 

[HomeAndHome]

Not even thread worthy. His head and shoulder were at Doughty's shoulder height. Keep your head up...NHL is getting way too soft if hits like this are going to be reviewed. Scott Stevens wouldn't have made it in todays game....

I'd like to think that any hit that warrants a hearing from the DPS is thread worthy.

And count me in for Scott Stevens not making it in today's game if he couldn't adapt to not intentionally hurting players and targeting heads, even though I enjoyed watching him as a kid.

 

[Mattb124]

When they talk about principal point of contact in this context they don't mean what is the first thing that gets hit but what is the main target for the hit. So you can first connect with the shoulder and then the head and the head still be the principal point of contact.

Yes, and that is the case with the Doughty hit. Initial - shoulder, principal - head. Even the Kings' PBP doesn't understand that aspect of the rule, pretty common misunderstanding.

 

[Kariya 9]

Significantly more dangerous and malicious than the Cogliano hit that got him two games earlier this season. But it is a fact that the league doesn't punish their stars like they do the rest of their players. He'll walk.

 

[BruinLVGA]

To be perfectly honest, this one looks incredibly similar to the one by Backes on Nielsen, where he tried to hit the other player cleanly, but clipped him in the face. Backes got 3 games, with no prior suspension history.

 

[BiolaRunner]

There will have to be some action on this. Fine, or one game suspension... At this point, the liability of a hit to the head, not punished, make very poor optics, and could have legal repercussions. Intent or not, is not relevant.

Action is certain. Doughty has a hearing. I'm guessing just a fine

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

That's shoulder on shoulder to me.

 

[NastyKnies]

I'm one for big hits, but that was just dirty.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Torres got suspended for up to 6 games for a similar, slightly cleaner (more shoulder contact) hit on Stoll back in 2013. Happened in game 1 of the series and he was suspended the rest of the series. Doughty should get at least 2 games but DoPS is garbage so he will probably only get 1

Completely different hit and no the Torres hit was not cleaner. He saw a guy who was completely bent over from having just thrown the puck with his hands (and no longer had the puck) and deliberately raced over to hit him front the front causing his head to bounce off Torres’ shoulder. This wasn’t similar to that.