Seems pretty clear he hit Gomez right on the numbers, and it doesn’t bode well for Myers that it could be interpretted as a reaction to the stick in the face he took on the play.

Posted by Da lil Guy from Ottawa on 03/13/12 at 01:48 PM ET

Based on the standard established earlier in the season, that’s probably a game suspension (or two) for Myers. However, Shanahan’s standards have become much more inconsistent, so it seems a toss-up whether there’s any supplemental discipline. I’d understand if Myers received a one-game ban, but the Sabres would have a legitimate gripe given the absolute lack of any type of discipline, including a phone call, following Malkin’s hit on Boychuk. Similar type of circumstances, including a hit from behind into the boards resulting in a two-minute penalty and no perceived injury to the player who was boarded, or at least they weren’t laying on the ice for awhile. If you let Malkin go and suspend Myers, then there’s no consistency at all to Shanahan’s calls. Many of us suspect that to be the case anyway, but would still grate on Buffalo that they lose one of their key pieces in the middle of a furious playoff run while the Pens, who are comfortably in the playoffs, get off scot-free for a very similar infraction.

Posted by Dan from Pittsburgh, PA on 03/13/12 at 02:23 PM ET

Malkin just set precedent that this type of hit is OK.

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Where free agents no longer want to go. on 03/13/12 at 02:38 PM ET

Malkin just set precedent that this type of hit is OK.

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand

Not even close….  Troll?

Posted by Zqto from Brazil on 03/13/12 at 05:38 PM ET

Not even close….  Troll?

Posted by Zqto from Brazil on 03/13/12 at 03:38 PM ET

Really?  Both hits from behind, directly to the numbers.  Both looked like boarding calls to me and both were called that way.  Why would Malkin get off Scott free and not Myers?

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Where free agents no longer want to go. on 03/13/12 at 05:44 PM ET

Because, while admiring your pass (as Gomez did) is rightly frowned upon, it does not contribute to a change in body position that changes the point of contact from the shoulder to the back or back of the skull. Pivoting and executing a reverse after the hitter has already dropped his shoulder to make a hit (which is what happened on the Malkin/Boychuk play) does change the point of contact.

The league seems to be real big on whether or not the “victim” changes position after the hitter is past the point of no-return. Nothing like that happens here.

Posted by larry from pitt on 03/13/12 at 06:21 PM ET