Kukla's Korner Hockey

The Legal Hit By Brooks Orpik Last Night
by Paul on 05/14/15 at 10:24 AM ET
Comments (12)
from Kerry Fraser of TSN,
To recap:
- Boyle placed himself in a vulnerable position.
- The Rangers player materially change his body and head position immediately prior to the hit delivered by Orpik.
- Orpik attempted to hit squarely through his opponent's body and did not "pick" Boyle's head.
These circumstances as listed in rule 48.1 subsections (i) (ii) and (iii) qualifies this hit as unavoidable and therefore "legal."
Watch the hit below....
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: brooks+orpik,
dan+boyle
Comments

Orpik attempted to hit squarely through his opponent’s body and did not “pick” Boyle’s head.
Orpik hit Boyle’s face “squarely”. Had Boyle been positioned differently, no matter how you try to slice it, Orpik would have hit Boyle in the head.
Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 05/14/15 at 10:49 AM ET

Kerry Fraser is delusional. Boyle vulnerable? Absolutely… But I don’t see Boyle change his body position. I did see Orpik clearly “pick”/target high and put his shoulder directly into Boyles head. Guess since his Jersey doesn’t say Kronwall, that’s a “legal” hit.
Time for the NHL to start thinking outside the box to fix officiating. The game is too fast for the on ice officials to make accurate calls.
Posted by Suave79 on 05/14/15 at 10:52 AM ET

- Boyle placed himself in a vulnerable position.
Orpik attempted to hit squarely through his opponent’s body and did not “pick” Boyle’s head
Why bother Fraser? This didn’t matter when the previous suspension was issued.
Posted by TreKronor on 05/14/15 at 11:00 AM ET

This is absolutely a hit to the head. Really not sure how it can be seen as anything else.
Posted by Stza on 05/14/15 at 11:01 AM ET

Absolutely, positively evidence that it was a dirty hit. When Kerry Fraser says it is legal, anyone with a grain of sense knows that is definitive evidence that it was a bad hit.
Brooks Orpik has a long record of trying to hurt and maim other players. Next season, I would assign someone (Tanner Glass?) to destroy his right knee.
Posted by DocF from Now: Lynn Haven, FL; was Reidsville, NC on 05/14/15 at 11:23 AM ET

elbow to the face, leaves his feet, Boyle never changes his posture at all. Fraser sees what he wants to, it’s a joke.
Posted by Chet from twitter: thegansen on 05/14/15 at 11:45 AM ET

His head stays at the same level on the boards before Orp even closes distance on him. WTH play were they watchin?
Posted by SlimChance on 05/14/15 at 12:08 PM ET

Give Orpik a winged wheel and come back to us, Kerry.
NHL discipline = Garbage Inc.
Posted by MOWingsfan19 from I really like our team on 05/14/15 at 12:41 PM ET

Yeah, Boyle may have put himself in a prone position, but he didn’t not move from that position from the blue line in. Orpik has him lined up nearly shoulder to shoulder, but as Boyle braces for impact, Orpik deliberately drives upwards and ends up leaving his feet.
The only thing this didn’t have was an initial charge from Orpik. Otherwise, it’s still a shot to the head and he leaves his feet. I guess it doesn’t matter since they’ve been eliminated, but this should absolutely be worthy of a suspension.
Posted by nEgativezEro on 05/14/15 at 01:35 PM ET

Well of course Fraser says it’s a legal hit! Orpik wasn’t wearing a Wings jersey. I’d love to hear Kronwall’s thoughts on this non-suspension.
Of course. It wasn’t a Red Wing.
Posted by bigfrog on 05/14/15 at 03:27 PM ET
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Well of course Fraser says it’s a legal hit! Orpik wasn’t wearing a Wings jersey. I’d love to hear Kronwall’s thoughts on this non-suspension.
Posted by Wise1 on 05/14/15 at 10:41 AM ET