Alumni in the Pros: December 2011

[jkahn]

Colin Greening got a fighting major tonight at the end of regulation. He had bumped into Ryan Miller trying to get around the back of the net chasing Christian Erhoff, and Erhoff took exception and started swinging.  Greening would've spent the entire five minute overtime in the penalty box, but his stay was shortened by the Senators' winning goal. Greening also had an assist tonight.  And Matt Moulson had a goal as the Isles lost to the Habs.

[ftyuv]

Colin Greening got a fighting major tonight at the end of regulation. He had bumped into Ryan Miller trying to get around the back of the net chasing Christian Erhoff, and Erhoff took exception and started swinging.  Greening would've spent the entire five minute overtime in the penalty box, but his stay was shortened by the Senators' winning goal. Greening also had an assist tonight.  And Matt Moulson had a goal as the Isles lost to the Habs.

I didn't see the play, but it seems like since the Lucic incident, the Sabres are trying to prove that they won't tolerate so much as a fart near Miller. Yeesh.

[Trotsky]

I didn't see the play, but it seems like since the Lucic incident, the Sabres are trying to prove that they won't tolerate so much as a fart near Miller. Yeesh.

There was another incident covered on PTI that actually looked pretty intentional, too.  Probably a good idea to stay away from Miller (or better yet, troll the Sabre D and pick up some quality powerplay time).

[Aaron M. Griffin]

I didn't see the play, but it seems like since the Lucic incident, the Sabres are trying to prove that they won't tolerate so much as a fart near Miller. Yeesh.

There was another incident covered on PTI that actually looked pretty intentional, too.  Probably a good idea to stay away from Miller (or better yet, troll the Sabre D and pick up some quality powerplay time).

Greening's hit on Miller seems pretty intentional and flagrant. After Gaustad did nothing when Lucic hit Miller and then Tootoo's hit on Miller during his first game back after the Lucic hit, the Sabres have become preoccupied with defending teammates and seeking retribution, especially when Miller is involved.

Greening-Miller hit/Greening-Ehrhoff fight:

[Josh '99]

I didn't see the play, but it seems like since the Lucic incident, the Sabres are trying to prove that they won't tolerate so much as a fart near Miller. Yeesh.

There was another incident covered on PTI that actually looked pretty intentional, too.  Probably a good idea to stay away from Miller (or better yet, troll the Sabre D and pick up some quality powerplay time).

Greening's hit on Miller seems pretty intentional and flagrant. After Gaustad did nothing when Lucic hit Miller and then Tootoo's hit on Miller during his first game back after the Lucic hit, the Sabres have become preoccupied with defending teammates and seeking retribution, especially when Miller is involved.

Greening-Miller hit/Greening-Ehrhoff fight:

I'm not a big fan of this play by Greening, but it's not even in the same ballpark as what Lucic did.  Lucic got Miller squarely in the head at full speed, Greening was coasting (if you watch the shot starting at around 0:32 you don't see Greening take a single stride from the faceoff circle, where he is when the shot begins) and, while I would say he didn't do enough to go around Miller, Miller only gets knocked into the net because he's off balance from playing the puck and just starting to skate backward when Greening makes contact.

[Aaron M. Griffin]

I didn't see the play, but it seems like since the Lucic incident, the Sabres are trying to prove that they won't tolerate so much as a fart near Miller. Yeesh.

There was another incident covered on PTI that actually looked pretty intentional, too.  Probably a good idea to stay away from Miller (or better yet, troll the Sabre D and pick up some quality powerplay time).

Greening's hit on Miller seems pretty intentional and flagrant. After Gaustad did nothing when Lucic hit Miller and then Tootoo's hit on Miller during his first game back after the Lucic hit, the Sabres have become preoccupied with defending teammates and seeking retribution, especially when Miller is involved.

Greening-Miller hit/Greening-Ehrhoff fight:

I'm not a big fan of this play by Greening, but it's not even in the same ballpark as what Lucic did.  Lucic got Miller squarely in the head at full speed, Greening was coasting (if you watch the shot starting at around 0:32 you don't see Greening take a single stride from the faceoff circle, where he is when the shot begins) and, while I would say he didn't do enough to go around Miller, Miller only gets knocked into the net because he's off balance from playing the puck and just starting to skate backward when Greening makes contact.

It is nowhere near the same as what Lucic did to Miller. I am not a fan of what Greening did, but it is not as suspect or flagrant as what Lucic, or Tootoo for that matter, did to Miller. The Sabres have taken upon this hypersensitive protection of Miller.

[Josh '99]

The Sabres have taken upon this hypersensitive protection of Miller.

I can't really blame them.

[css228]

The Sabres have taken upon this hypersensitive protection of Miller.

I can't really blame them.

I can't either, but given my loyalties, I believe that if a goalie protects himself this kind of stuff stops happening. How many guys really sought to go after Billy Smith or Ron Hextall?

[KeithK]

It is nowhere near the same as what Lucic did to Miller. I am not a fan of what Greening did, but it is not as suspect or flagrant as what Lucic, or Tootoo for that matter, did to Miller. The Sabres have taken upon this hypersensitive protection of Miller.

In which case you could say that this was a smart play from the Senator's point of view.  Take the opportunity to hit Miller and draw one of the oppositions D-men into a fight going into overtime.  I have no idea if there was any intent and the idea is kind of dirty (or at least cheap) but if a team is hypersensitive about their goalie it does make some sense to take advantage of it.

[Jim Hyla]

It is nowhere near the same as what Lucic did to Miller. I am not a fan of what Greening did, but it is not as suspect or flagrant as what Lucic, or Tootoo for that matter, did to Miller. The Sabres have taken upon this hypersensitive protection of Miller.

In which case you could say that this was a smart play from the Senator's point of view.  Take the opportunity to hit Miller and draw one of the oppositions D-men into a fight going into overtime.  I have no idea if there was any intent and the idea is kind of dirty (or at least cheap) but if a team is hypersensitive about their goalie it does make some sense to take advantage of it.

I completely disagree. There's a reason why the goalie has a protected area, and why hockey is trying to clamp down on any potential for head injuries. I don't think Greening had that intent, but it should never, ever even be thought about. What would you be saying if Miller's head hit the metal of the goal and he had a whiplash type head injury, with recurrence of concussion symptoms. It's not worth winning a game and potentially destroying someone's life. Not that I think you have that in mind, but that type of contact is too dangerous.

[Rosey]

That was pretty much a dick move by Greening. Hard to defend such a blatant attack on a goalie, especially with his back to you after the play had already moved on.

[ugarte]

That was pretty much a dick move by Greening. Hard to defend such a blatant attack on a goalie, especially with his back to you after the play had already moved on.

Exactly. Greening didn't clumsily "bump into" a stumbling Miller, he shoved him into the goal. If the closest Sabre to Greening didn't take a swing at him it would have been shocking.

[KeithK]

It is nowhere near the same as what Lucic did to Miller. I am not a fan of what Greening did, but it is not as suspect or flagrant as what Lucic, or Tootoo for that matter, did to Miller. The Sabres have taken upon this hypersensitive protection of Miller.

In which case you could say that this was a smart play from the Senator's point of view.  Take the opportunity to hit Miller and draw one of the oppositions D-men into a fight going into overtime.  I have no idea if there was any intent and the idea is kind of dirty (or at least cheap) but if a team is hypersensitive about their goalie it does make some sense to take advantage of it.

I completely disagree. There's a reason why the goalie has a protected area, and why hockey is trying to clamp down on any potential for head injuries. I don't think Greening had that intent, but it should never, ever even be thought about. What would you be saying if Miller's head hit the metal of the goal and he had a whiplash type head injury, with recurrence of concussion symptoms. It's not worth winning a game and potentially destroying someone's life. Not that I think you have that in mind, but that type of contact is too dangerous.

I'm not really condoning it, even if my post reads that way. I'm just looking at the incentives that the situation presents.  It's similar to the reason why teams often don't release details about a player's injury, saying instead "Upper body injury".  There's some incentive to take advantage of it if you know that a guy has a hurt knee or whatever.

[RatushnyFan]

Greening didn't do enough to get out of the way.  You don't touch the goalie.  My opinion is that Ehrhoff's response was appropriate.

[Jim Hyla]

Via ECAC article on Moulson at SI.com.