News Article: No Hearing For Del Zotto

[Punxrocknyc19*]

http://snyrangersblog.com/2012-13-p...z-no-hearing-scheduled-for-michael-del-zotto/

Click to read more...

 

[Ail]

Wasn't intentional. Reactionary and defensive.

Honestly, and I normally don't say or think this because I hate to see talented players get injured, but if this is Karma for any or all of Matt Cooke's ******** then so be it.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

There shouldn't be one. It was a 2 minute penalty at most. Not a dirty play.

 

[Vitto79]

I saw the hit this morning and it was obviously not intentional ......the Pens are idiots .........what is wrong with Cooke and Dupuis........seriously bring up McIlrath just to crush them

 

[Pizza]

The usual Pittsburgh hysteria. Whiny franchise and fan base. Pretty soon we'll really give them something to whine about. Can't wait.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

Refs blew the call; Shanahan did not.

 

[trilobyte]

The refs intentionally did not make a number of calls that they had no business ignoring last game, a truly ridiculous amount.

MDZ's elbow was a bit reckless but not intentional. Just not enough evidence that it was. I don't want to see Neal injured, so hope he is okay, but I'm not sleepless worrying about him, either.

 

[Kokoschka]

not a hearing and rightfully so. Shanahan favoring his ex-club again .

 

[Fitzy]

Was a fluke injury. Sucks and was unfortunate but it was not intentional.

 

[gary laser eyes]

Pens fans with torches and pitchforks, yet they defend the Kunitz hit on Bailey because "it was a hockey play."

I hope Neal is ok. He looked out of it on the ice. Blank stare. Not a good sign.

 

[Panfork]

If Rick Nash got no games for his hit, then Del Zotto's doesn't even deserve a hearing. This is the right call, despite Pens fans saying it was a "clear intent to injure." How do they come up with this stuff?

 

[The Gloaming]

If Rick Nash got no games for his hit, then Del Zotto's doesn't even deserve a hearing. This is the right call, despite Pens fans saying it was a "clear intent to injure." How do they come up with this stuff?

Their dumbass announcers feed them lies and they run with it.

 

[Inkio]

This whole argument I keep reading about "intent" from both sides Pens fans and Rangers fans means nothing. It doesn't matter whether it was his intent to hurt Neal or just his intent to make a hit. Him seeing Neal coming and leaving his feet while snapping both his arms backwards is a dangerous play. The main thing here is he left his feet and made contact with Neal's head. That is a dangerous play and directly resulted in an injury. Intent should only matter after it has been decided he will be disciplined, then it comes into play one how severe his discipline should be.

 

[eco's bones]

Probably should have been a 2 minute minor-keeping in mind that the refs first ****ed up missing Kunitz's slash on Boyle then getting Boyle for a retaliatory crosscheck--they then miss this. Oh ****ing well. MDZ makes this play quite a bit where he throws his body backwards between the puck and a forechecker. Immediately after the collision he's kicking the puck away--hard to believe his focus was more on hitting Neal rather than getting the puck out of danger so do I think there was any intent by DZ to hurt Neal? No. Nonetheless I don't mind the result. I just don't like that team. The best penguin is a dead penguin.

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

Should've been a penalty.

Shouldn't have been a suspension or fine.

Not MDZ's fault Neal came at him the way he did.

 

[Whiplash27]

How is it even humanly possible to intend to direct your elbow into a guy's face if he's behind you and you only vaguely know that he's there? I'm sure MDZ saw him in his periphery, but I doubt he even focused on him to the point that he would have known the exact location of his head at that exact moment. Especially since he was probably trying to focus on the puck and looking around the area to make a play. The whole intent was to push his body back toward the guy who was coming to attack him from behind so that he wouldn't get knocked forward. The fact that he got knocked in the head with the elbow as purely accidental and everyone but only the most delusional pens fans know this.

 

[Tawnos]

He totally knew Neal was there. He wasn't trying to hit him though. He was trying to box him out as bracing himself for contact. In other words, Neal ran his head into Del Zottos elbow.

However, he definitely had no idea where Neal's head was since Neal was behind him and DZ was looking at the play which was in the other direction.

 

[Inkio]

How is it even humanly possible to intend to direct your elbow into a guy's face if he's behind you and you only vaguely know that he's there? I'm sure MDZ saw him in his periphery, but I doubt he even focused on him to the point that he would have known the exact location of his head at that exact moment. Especially since he was probably trying to focus on the puck and looking around the area to make a play. The whole intent was to push his body back toward the guy who was coming to attack him from behind so that he wouldn't get knocked forward. The fact that he got knocked in the head with the elbow as purely accidental and everyone but only the most delusional pens fans know this.

Intent shouldn't matter. It's an elbow the the head of a player. Why is everyone so caught up on intent? Read my above post.

 

[Jabroni]

Should've been a 2 minute elbow, but nothing more.

Reckless, but not malicious.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Accidental contact, I could have seen a penalty had a ref witnessed it. Bet it made Mess proud.

 

[Clowes Line]

How I see it. Del Zotto sees Neal coming, tries to reverse hit in an attempt to brace/protect himself. Neal's head is already a bit down, and unfortunately, Del Zotto catches him with the elbow in the head. Not Del Zotto's fault Neal had his head a bit low, and if you think he purposely elbowed him in the head without looking, you need help.

No hearing necessary, just a missed penalty.

 

[Mikos87]

Two min elbow as a charity call. DZ was looking over his left should bracing himself for a hit, and Neal made a move to go around him and his chin and DZ's elbow unfortunately came together. DZ even keeps his stick from high-sticking Iginla, makes a play with his feet, bodies Iginla, and moves the puck out without any idea that Neal is laying there behind him the entire time. You tell me if that's intentional or not.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Should've been a 2 minute elbow, but nothing more.

Reckless, but not malicious.

Not malicious in the least. Del Zotto isn't that type of player. As long as the Pens have Cooke on their team though I really have no sympathy for any of their players...

And again to make it clear I don't dislike Neal and would never wish injury on an NHL player. It is unfortunate to ever see any player get hurt. Just after all the shenanigans cooke has pulled INTENTIONALLY...

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Glad to see the league do the right thing here.

The overreaction by Dupuis, Cooke, and the Pens fanbase was ridiculous yet expected. The amount of hypocrisy never ceases to amaze.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

Interesting hit. Not clear what DZ is thinking. My best guess is he is bracing for/responding to the hit in his back he knows is coming. Both his arms swing back as he does so.

Neal is skating at an angle to DZ. Neal first impacts DZ's back and then his head immediately impacts DZ's upper R arm, which is swinging back.

Hard to argue DZ clearly intended to hit Neal in the head. First, he loses sight of Neal, making it hard to aim the shot, and second, he swings both arms, which argues against a pre-meditated shot with the right one. It looks more like both arms swing as part of his jump.

However, you could say it was a reckless play to swing the arms up like that.

I hate to see them get hit in the head.