- Jan 3, 2012
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The stick came up before Rinaldo turned. Girard was going to cross check him no matter what.
Zac Rinaldo Suspended for 6 games
- Thread starter ClassLessCoyote
- Start date
The stick came up before Rinaldo turned. Girard was going to cross check him no matter what.
I'm saying that there is no way he doesn't make that move around MacKinnon if his initial instinct isn't to engage Rinaldo. I say this as someone who grew up playing the game. No doubt in my mind.
I view it as he's trying to flee as he's just realized who it was and that he's in way over his head / crapped his pants.
I'm sure Rinaldo was looking up his history just as he was making a bee line over to engage him.
There is zero doubt that Girard went out of his way to engage.
Doesn't justify Rinaldo actions but to say he wasn't going over there to stick up for his teammate is fiction.
It absolutely was not his best route. Skating past McKinnon on the other side away from Rinaldo was faster, easier and more direct.
I'm saying the more natural defensive move given that the forward was not forechecking/standing still and the puck was dumped to the other side of the ice is not to make the move he did. It's very clear by his play what his original intent was. It's no coincidence that all the hockey guys tweeting about the play agree with that. Honestly surprised that this is even a question.
So you believe that in a situution where the Avs player did not think there was any need to engage Rinaldo for the hit such as Johnson, Landescog, and Comeau, a young kid with zero physical parts to his game thought he just had to do something? And then the kid who felt he just had to engage becasue of this clean hit in a split second didn't even skate right into Rinaldo but around him? I think you need to lay down your Coyote's goggles and outdated version of the NHL and realize that this is 100% on Rinaldo for seeing what just wasn't there.
To get to the left point? Stop being just plain silly, no one skates up the middle to get left.
I'm legitimately surprised. I've seen this type of play hundreds of time and that route Girard took was consistent with someone intent on engaging. Each and every time.
I can understand that but I now have the benefit of being able to watch the video over and over and know the history and demeanor of the person we are talking about(Girard). Like I said I know why Rinaldo thought the way he did but I believe his interpretation was 100% wrong and his actions deplorable.
Backwards as the forward isn't forechecking. Puck is going to be turned over and iF you pinch you are 4 deep
and you realize Rinaldo didn't have that benefit of watching it over and over in slo motion. he doesn't know who coming at him. He just knows that given who he has hit and the force he hit him with that people are coming with ill intent.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
He made it almost half a season without incident. Baby steps! Haha. Yeah, he might be done with hockey after this.
It's a play that is already broken with MacKinnon not pressing. The play is to retreat/reset. The bee line he made isn't natural unless you wanted to engage.
Left point makes the route he took even more circuitous than if it were the right point - he's going out of his way big time if he was heading for the left point.
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