That hit really set the tone for the physical play as well.  PIssed Pav off too, scored on an identical play minutes later.  Doughty can hit Pav like that all day if that’s what it does to him.

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 02/10/13 at 08:14 PM ET

yeah, i was going to make the same comment… this “hit of the day” led to Pav scoring the next time he touched the puck on his next shift on an eerily similar play. I’d say Pav won the war.

Posted by perfection from LaLaLand on 02/10/13 at 08:19 PM ET

I’m sorry but I still say that was a friggin’ dangerous hit.

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 02/10/13 at 08:22 PM ET

How is the hit of the day given to an illegal blindside hit?  Next thing you’ll tell me is Matt Cooke should be up for the Lady Bing.

Posted by Hootinani on 02/10/13 at 08:23 PM ET

It was on the edge and was worried about pav’s shoulder for a second but he was fine.  Very similar to the Backes hit on Huskins.  I’m ok with it so long as it’s not called if one of our guys makes the same hit.

I don’t mind the non-call.

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 02/10/13 at 08:33 PM ET

How is the hit of the day given to an illegal blindside hit?  Next thing you’ll tell me is Matt Cooke should be up for the Lady Bing.

Posted by Hootinani on 02/10/13 at 07:23 PM ET

I was jumping up and down all pissed off. I too called it a blindside hit, my dad was even barkin’ at the tv about it. Pav more than made ‘em pay for it, and im hoping he is fine from it with no repercussion.

Posted by NIVO from underpants gnome village on 02/10/13 at 08:57 PM ET

seriously? Daysuk is my favorite player ever but complaining THAT should be a call is some total crybaby nonsense.

First off, the “blind-side” rule is about hits to the head. This hit wasn’t even close to the head so that doesn’t apply at all. Unless of course it was a hit from behind (which is technically a “blind side” I guess) but this was clearly on the shoulder and not the numbers. So what possible call would it be?

He was going really fast, didn’t expect it, and was in open space so yeah, it was most definitely “dangerous”... just like many plays in this incredibly dangerous sport of hockey (like blocking slapshots for instance. I’d take that hit 100 times before I’d slide in front of a She Weber slapshot). There was nothing even close to illegal on that hit. I’m just not sure what you guys could possibly be referring to.

Posted by perfection from LaLaLand on 02/10/13 at 08:57 PM ET

I will actually go one step further and say that is one of the better defensive plays I’ve seen against Datsyuk. How else do you stop him? You sure can’t go for the puck. And you can’t slow down and give him anymore time or he does what he went and did the next shift. Playing the body the way Doughty did was pretty awesome actually.

There was a similar play last year in the preseason with Brendan Smith here in Chicago that I got to see live (you’ll remember that Smith was suspended for it). I thought his IDEA was really great as someone trying to stick handle on goal just doesn’t see that coming, but the difference is that Smith made direct contact with the guy’s head (and knocked him out) while Doughty caught Dats flush on the shoulder.

Posted by perfection from LaLaLand on 02/10/13 at 09:04 PM ET

Liked how Datsyuk came back and gave Doughty a pretty solid hit a couple shifts later.

Posted by loojay on 02/10/13 at 09:35 PM ET

lol, datsyuk got hit by a freight train.  I don’t know how any of you guys can call that an illlegal hit.  IT was nowhere close to illegal, nowhere near the head, landed on the shoulder from the side.  THat was a big clean open ice hit, I’d like to see more of that.  Get your homer glasses off.  If this was kronwall, landing that hit, you would be all celebrating it

Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 02/10/13 at 10:34 PM ET

Kronwall doesn’t hit folk from the rear quarter.

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 02/10/13 at 11:03 PM ET

clean, BIG hit. doughty, keep in mind, is also a top-5% NHL’er. he did his job.

Posted by Chet from twitter: thegansen on 02/11/13 at 12:47 AM ET

The ultimate shovelin’ the shit in Doughty’s face was that he was on the ice when E52 scored his GWG.

Hah.

Posted by SYF from Zata's Epic Viking Beard on 02/11/13 at 05:29 AM ET

blindside hits are no longer illegal.  they changed the rule, but never really told the fans about it.

this is the rule that used to have the word “blindside” in it, but no longer does.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=64063

here is an article about the change.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=566579

Rule 48 previously provided the on-ice officials with the ability to call a major penalty for any targeted head hit from the lateral or blind side, but the re-written rule no longer includes the words lateral or blind side, and the major penalty provision has been replaced by the minor penalty provision.

Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 02/11/13 at 09:34 AM ET

Revenge is a dish best served cold on “a patch of ice”.  Datsyuk will be fine.

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 02/11/13 at 10:05 AM ET