A name synonymous in Boston amongst the Bruins faithful as a cheapshot, marked-man, and public enemy No. 1; Randy Jones is an afterthought now. Yes, the Bruins backers now have a new enemy — rightfully so — in Pennsylvania, named Matt “bleepin” Cooke.
The video is out there in may different angles, speeds, and formats. Replay it over and over 100 times and the action and result is still the same. Cooke blind-sided Bruins' All Star center Marc Savard with a cheapshot to the head, resulting in yet another suspension-worthy hit from Cooke, and other goons in the NHL.
After all, this wasn't Cooke's first debut in cheap head-shots to opposing players: it's just his latest.
Unfortunately, we can’t turn back the clock to let Shawn Thornton or Zdeno Chara loose and vent their retributions on the cantankerous Matt Cooke in hindsight. I do agree, however, that some sort of retaliation was merited, especially with over five minutes remaining in the third. But that time will have to wait until the B’s finish-up their seven-game road-trip when they head back to the TD Garden on Thursday, Mar. 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Their opponents: Pittsburgh Penguins.
Surely Cooke should be handed down a suspension from the NHL’s Sr. VP and Director of Hockey Operations, Colin “The Sherriff” Campbell. After all, if the roles were reversed and a Bruin laid-out Sidney Crosby like that, the harshest of suspensions would sure be to follow. And what perfect timing for a cheap head-shot like this to occur -- if there's any positive to come out of it -- as the NHL’s general managers meeting undergoes today. Until legitimate consequences are set in stone for dangerous, unnecessary hits like this, players futures and livelihoods are continued to be at risk: 20-plus games without pay for instance.
But for when and for how long a suspension to be laid down on Cooke remains to be seen. While Black-and-Gold fans would love for No. 24 to relieve a well-deserved 10-game suspension, that would run into the Mar. 18 reunion between the two Eastern Conference team.
Granted, the cheapshot on Savard was a cowardly display, it would be even worse for the Bruins to take their retributions out on Pittsburgh’s most skilled player in an eye-for-and-eye rebuttal -- Crosby, Malkin -- in lieu of Cooke. A retaliation like that would make the Bruins look even more cowardly than Cooke, and further showcase what is precisely wrong in the NHL. Blindside head-shot have no place in the NHL, nor does the aftermath that could follow.
And if Cooke were to be in the lineup, the Bruins on home ice could get too wrapped-up in focusing on No. 24 than focusing on the task at hand: a win and two-points closer to the playoffs.
The best case scenario, for the Bruins, is to have Cooke suspended and out of the lineup on the 18th. Although the B’s are a far-cry from their old “Big Bad Bruins” nickname, the don’t need to be labeled with a Todd Bertuzzi incident, as the Canucks were back in 2004.
Colorado Avalanche’s forward Steve Moore laid-out Vancouver’s star forward Markus Naslund with a questionable, shoulder/elbow hit to the head in a game on Feb. 16, 2004, knocking the captain Naslund unconscious. Two meetings later, Moore was seriously injured when Bertuzzi jumped Moore from behind; causing three broken neck vertebrae, a concussion, and ten-minutes of unconsciousness on the ice in a pool of his own blood. [note: Matt Cooke of VAN initially fought Moore as retaliation/The Code in the third meeting before the Bertuzzi incident]
In an article this morning by John Bishop on bostonbruins.com, Julien had this to say about the payback, or lack thereof.
“Anytime you see something like that, it’s frustrating,” said Julien. “You want to get back at this guy, but at the same time, you’ve got to win a hockey game here.
“So yeah, I had to keep our team under control and make them realize that we had to win a hockey game here.”
Along with the 2-1 loss yesterday, both the Flyers and Canadiens won their respective contests and added two points in their totals column. The B’s have now dipped to eight-place in the East with 69 points, as the log-jam in the East continues on: Philly in sixth with 72 points, Montreal in seventh [70], Rangers ninth [67], Thrashers 10th [66], and Tampa Bay in 11th [65].
Tomorrow, the Bruins face the Toronto Maple Leafs for the fifth of six meetings on the season. The Leafs, second-to-last in the NHL with 52 points, are playing for very little -- if anything -- from here-on-out. Plus, being ranked dead-last in the East, Toronto can’t even afford to lose-out and look forward to this year’s NHL Entry Draft; as Boston own their first two selections.
With a 1-2-1 record in their four games back from the Olympic break, the Maple Leafs have been outscored twofold, 12-6, over that span. Toronto has also compiled 73 penalty minutes over their last three --18 against Boston on Thursday night -- including 33 in their last undisciplined game against the Flyers.
So the Black-and-Gold will have to keep their composure in check to avoid a costly penalty or a lengthy suspension of their own and just play hockey.
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Comments
You know whats frustrating? Anyone-But-Pittsburgh fans who use this reckless (but NOT cheap or dirty) hit as an excuse to jump all over Matt Cooke. The boy is played to mess people up, thats his job on the team. But he is not a cheapshot/dirty player. And before you go jumping all over me because I'm a "biased Penguins fan," I'm a Habs fan, so shut up. You all need to get a grip. Look at the replay...and I mean actually look at it, don't just use it to fuel your anger. Cooke led with his shoulder, he lined up and went to deliver a clean hit, but Savard slowed and kept his head down. You can see Matt Cooke lowering to *avoid* hitting Savard with an elbow, and trying to connect shoulder-to-shoulder. Cooke is a rough guy and if he sees an opportunity to hit you, he'll do it without a second thought, but he's not a dirty player. And if you all think the things he does are dirty, i can give you a list of 50 other guys that make the same plays he does.
Aidan, B's fan here, so shut up. Cooke may have been leading with his shoulder, but he finished by extending his elbow into Savvy's head and KO'd him. Cheapshot. Dirty. Blind-side. All of the above. Go back and watch the last five minutes of the game after this incident. Cooke takes the ice and has a chance to finish a check again on yet another defenseless Bruins player and doesn't. Instead, he skates off for a line change. Defending Cooke and other goons like this is idiotic. You want an example of a good clean hit? See: Ovie burying Jagr in Vancouver 2010. Suspend him for a minimum of 10 games or however long Savvy is out. Maybe this will deter players from head shots.
someone should have had Savard's back. There is no way Cooke should have gone back to his bench without so much as a glove in his face. If you play hockey, you know that is what you do for your team mate.
Cotton balls, pillows, bunny rabbits and the Boston Bruins? What do these have in common?
From NESN.com
-CBC called it a "vicious hit to the head,"
-Yahoo's "Puck Daddy" blog called it "a blatant attempt to injure" and said that it "should be Exhibit A in the 'penalize head shots' presentation at the next owners' meeting."
"At some point there's got to be a clear indication from the league because we've seen this so many times now,"..."You don't like to see anyone, their own teammate or an opposing player, lay on the ice like that. That was scary." Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said.
This is Cooke's second offense -- second same exact hit. Up for a second suspension. To dispute this hit being 'dirty' shows the lack of hockey knowledge of Aidan. To argue that Cooke is not a dirty player even further seconds that notion. But the fact that he argues both of these facts are laughable, and not even worth my time.
"Chris says:
Cotton balls, pillows, bunny rabbits and the Boston Bruins? What do these have in common? "
I know..I know! They're all white?
I read on TSN.ca that Dreger said the hit is being discussed at the GM meetings.
But Colin "I'm-too-busy-to-review-the-tape" Campbell won't be looking at the hit/making decisions until tomorrow now.
Yes, hits to the head are/will be the No. 1 topic at the GM meetings.
I can't believe that the tape wasn't reviewed and a decision made first thing this morning. Awful.
"Cooke led with his shoulder, he lined up and went to deliver a clean hit, but Savard slowed and kept his head down."
Undoubtedly the dumbest thing I have ever read in 2010.
savard's a pussy he barely even got hit
Jason K. Ovie also has been supended for a hit. He is one of the most out of control "dirty" players in the game! Cooke didn't leave his feet like Ovie does every other hit he makes! If u don't see Cooke could have REALLY hit him hard but just skated through him you need to have a REAL hockey fan watch and tell you what happened. If no injury the hit is just another hit. Guys that fast and taught to hit someone when they can are gonna have a player stop like that and injuries will happen. It really sucks a great player will miss time and who knows maybe never be the same but injuries happen in sports. As a Boston fan you probably think the hit on Brady in 08 should have had a 4 game suspension also.
cooke made a clean hit it was just unfortunate that savard opened up towards him after the shot, all you boston'ers need to quit bitching already and just accept that it is an unfortunate part of the sport
"This guy doesnt know anything about hockey" certainly takes after his name and is clearly from PA. Savard opened up to him? That's gay.
I don't know how many of you guys play or have played hockey, I've played my whole life (goalie) safest position on the ice lol, AND that was a cheap shot, I had the game recorded so kept rewinding and going forward in slow mo, Cooke DID raise his elbow just before the hit, CHEAP SHOT, he could have stopped after Savard made the pass/shot. Also there was a ref standing 20 ft. away at the blue line that saw the whole thing, why didn't he make the call, who knows. TO This guy doesn't know anything about hockey, your name tells the whole story, you probably haven't even laced up a pair of skates, well i take that back....maybe a pair of figure skates. Bottom line...that was a cheap intentional shot to injure
I don't know how many of you guys play or have played hockey, I've played my whole life (goalie) safest position on the ice lol, AND that was a cheap shot, I had the game recorded so kept rewinding and going forward in slow mo, Cooke DID raise his elbow just before the hit, CHEAP SHOT, he could have stopped after Savard made the pass/shot. Also there was a ref standing 20 ft. away at the blue line that saw the whole thing, why didn't he make the call, who knows. TO This guy doesn't know anything about hockey, your name tells the whole story, you probably haven't even laced up a pair of skates, well i take that back....maybe a pair of figure skates. Bottom line...that was a cheap intentional shot to injure
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