Ovechkin’s hit from behind on Brian Campbell
UPDATE: Alexander Ovechkin has been suspended two games – Colin Campbell calls hit ‘Reckless’
I saw this hit while I was watching the Capitals-Blackhawks game earlier this afternoon, and Puck Daddy did some quick work and got the video online right after the game. Watch the hit here:
Campbell skates back into his own zone to pick up a dump in, when Alex Ovechkin races in and hits Campbell from behind. It’s pretty clear that A.O makes contact with Brian Campbell on the numbers of his jersey. Ovechkin was given a 5-minute major and a game misconduct – which is Ovechkin’s third game misconduct on the year, which leads all NHL players.
As Wyshynski articulated, A.O will have to be suspended by in the NHL, because of the statutes in the League rulebook about hits from behind:
23.5 Fines and Suspensions – Stick Infractions, Boarding and Checking from Behind Category – In regular League games, any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of two (2) game misconduct penalties for stick-related infractions, Boarding – Rule 42, or Checking from Behind – Rule 44, shall be suspended automatically for the next League game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.
As we’ve seen in the past (Malkin in the Stanley Cup Finals), the League hates to sit its star players. I can’t imagine that the NHL will suspend Ovechkin for more than a game or two. I won’t come out and condemn this hit outright, like I did with Matt Cooke’s nasty headshot on Marc Savard, but I do think it’s poor judgement on Ovechkin’s part. Campbell turns before the hit a little bit, sure, but it’s clear that Alex pushes and fully extends his arms right into the back of Campbell. It’s a hit from behind and a text book boarding call – and it’s worthy of a suspension.
The debate on SBNation’s Capitals blog, Jasper’s Rink, is seriously interesting – Caps fans are really going both ways on this hit:
“Big Caps fan and season ticket holder—-but I have to be honest here -
Ovechkin is a stupid player. He is costing his team with his foolish play. Trust me -
he is going to get a 3 to 5 game suspension, which will cost him the goal scoring title, but moreover he is gaining a reputation which will hurt the CAPS.Ovechkin is talented — but really stupid. Caps won’t win a cup with this guy playing as he is. He must tone it down.” {Dougeb}
I’ve always maintained at the very least, Alex Ovechkin plays a risky game, and if he keeps up this pace, he’ll quickly find himself with a myriad of nagging injuries. I think Dougeb is partially right – it’s an irresponsible play in the context of their season. Under 15 games left in their schedule, and the Capitals still lead the Eastern Conference. There’s no need for that kind of play – his team isn’t battling for a playoff spot, and A.O should have used a little more discretion on a menial little dump-in like that.
Other Caps fans think this wasn’t a dirty hit at all:
“I don’t even think it was emotional. He tried to hit Campbell and if Campbell doesn’t toe pick it’s not an issue. He caught his toe and took a bad fall. Tough luck but not a dirty play.” {Fehr and Balanced}
I can see where he’s coming from. Brian Campbell did turn a bit before Ovechkin laid the hit on him, and I think Campbell put himself in a bad posistion. He should have looked over his shoulder to pick up on forecheckers – but that doesn’t excuse Ovechkin’s full extension of his arms into the numbers of Campbell. It’s a textbook hit from behind, and it’s a dangerous play that could have maimed Campbell. I think the league has to take action here.
Either case, leave your own thoughts in the comments. Great debate going on in the hockey world about this whole situation.
If the NHL is going to try and abide by the book, then yes, Alex Ovechkin should be and WILL be suspended. With that being said, I saw the hit live and it looked bad. Then I watched it a few times again. I think the five minute major is justified, however, I don’t believe the hit warranted a game misconduct which will ultimately lead to a suspension. For anyone to say that this hit wasn’t deserving of a penalty, turn off your blinders and put your Capital red biased aside for a second. Any hit like that near the boards is going to get called EVERY TIME. Don’t tell me that this is part of watering down the game because Campbell could have been seriously injured on the play… it was a dirty hit and no player in the league should be exempt from the repercussions of their actions.
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But the thing is, Campbell was seriously injured. Coach said he’ll miss a few games and the rumor is that he dislocated a shoulder and broke a rib and will be out up to 8 weeks. I think the game misconduct is rightly deserved. You can’t put someone into the boards head first and just sit in the box while they have to miss games due to an injury
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That is the most dangerous type of hit in hockey — boarding from behind. A.O. should know better. This was no accident. Suspend him for the length of the injury. There should be zero tolerance for this type of play.
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The combined penalties of “Boarding and Checking from Behind” could make for the worst type of hit but this incident doesn’t depict that. When I hear those two penalties, I think of a player hit directly from behind with his head crashing into the boards with a high risk that the player could become paralyzed from the neck down– that’s the worst type of hit. This A.O. hit is not that and it’s being blown out of proportion. I think it was a boarding and the hitting from behind is borderline.
If Campbell picked the puck up to take it around the net, or skated in that fashion, it would of been a clean hit from the side. The only reason he’s being hit from behind was because Campbell’s body was turned in order to reverse the puck in the opposite direction. When he’s hit, he hit’s the boards along the side of his body.
Don’t get me wrong, It’s a serious boarding penalty but I think Campbell was putting himself in a very vulnerable position with that play. I disagree with the game misconduct and I don’t think this represents the true dangers of the combined “checking from behind and boarding”.
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I’m a MN Wild fan myself… but anyone blaming Campbell for this is caught up in ignorant fanaticism for Ovechkin. Saying Campbell wasn’t position right is like saying a RB wasn’t in the right position when he got tackled and THATS why he got hurt. Just because of the fact that Campbell was vulnerable and clearly didn’t have the puck should have been enough reason for Ovechkin to NOT lay a cheap shot on him.
This is simply a player letting his emotions get the best of him, I’ve been guilty of doing this myself. A couple of times in a basketball game I’ll get caught up with the opponents being unsportsmen like and I’ll throw a little harder than normal elbow.
But nothing certainly as blatant as this, and in front of such a large audience.
Ovechkin deserves his suspension. All he had to do was take off his gloves and this would be like Todd Bertuzzi. Same situation except instead of an extended arm push Bertuzzi decided to do a sucker punch.
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Anyone that doesnt think this was a bad hit and a bad play on both players parts needs to get out and play some actual hockey. It doesn’t matter if you go neck first or not, you can still do some serious damage to any part of your upper body in that kind of a contact with the boards. Play hockey and get hit like that a few times and then come back and tell me that you don’t think it was a hit from behind.
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totally the guy who got injured’s fault. he should have known ovechkin would cheep shot him into the boards head first. he actually should have just let ovechkin have the puck – probably shouldnt have played this game really, then he wouldnt have had to worry about someone seriously injuring him for a few weeks. all makes sense if your a caps fan – i know a few and how they operate.
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Let me rephrase what I had to say. Campbell didn’t brace himself for a hit. If you play hockey, you would know to get in a position to brace yourself for a hit as soon as a player approaches you near the boards, not stand up straight as you release the puck with a forechecker on you.
My point was he DIDN’T get hit head first into the boards, watch the video, he hits along the side of his body. It’s unfortunate that Campbell got injured but it’s not nearly as dirty of a play as you guys make it out to be.
From Ovechkin’s perspective, he did what coaches taught him: forecheck hard and take the body if he still has the puck. Maybe he should of followed through with a shoulder instead of pushing.
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Dirty, no. Reckless and dangerous, yes. And Campbell indeed suffered a broken collarbone and ribs. He’ll be luck to make it back for the playoffs no matter how far Chicago makes it.
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Some good banter here… there actually is no guarantee that a suspension will be dealt. If 41 games lapse since a previous game misconduct, then a second one doesn’t warrant a suspension. However, with news of the broken clavicle and ribs, that will likely spell two, three or even more games for Ovechkin.
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If we go back to first principles of why “checking” is a legal tactic in sports and hockey specifically, and to what degree, we can better judge this situation. In general “checking” is the act of blocking an opponent from advancing. To “check” the advance of the opponent ,or be in “check”, unable to advance or move. OK… in hockey, both stick and body checking are legal actions, and legitimate in regard to checking the direct or strategic advance of the opponent with the puck, and only acceptable in regard to checking the advance or opponent’s control of the PUCK. Stick checking is legal when applied to puck and stick or glove in contact with the puck. Body checking is legal when applied to a player who had control of the puck. The intention is to impede the puck carrier’s progress or control of the PUCK. Therefore, use of the stick and body cease to be legal “checking” when they are used outside of this definite and limited purpose. When the player checked the other guy from behind and propelled him into the boards head first, after having made his pass, how is that a valid check? When I played hockey, if you had the puck, you were fair game, if not, not. Hockey is not boxing on ice, at least it shouldn’t be. Fighting and dirty play is a sideshow, and should be enjoyed, but controlled as such.
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To PM,
What about finishing your checks? I understand you mentioned the legal tactic of checking but if you don’t finish your checks, the other team will not release the puck as quick the next time around. The other tactic of checking is to set the tone for the game. This does not mean hitting players who don’t have control of the puck but anybody who plays knows that they’re fair game to get hit within the second before they get in control of the puck and a second after they release the puck. That’s just hockey.
The problem with Ovechkin’s hit was Campbell’s distance from the boards. Imagine if he were closer to the boards, it would of been pretty clean hit because Cambell would have just bounced off the boards and stayed on his feet.
My sympathies go out to Campbell though, it sucks to know a player got injured.
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I say suspend him. I understand that people love Ovi, and he is entertaining when HE has the puck, but he has been doing some really stupid and dangerous hits this last period and he needs to be taken down a notch…..take him off his pediestal.
This way of playing is not only stupid for him and his team, as the Caps fans correctly wrote on their own blog, but it’s MAINLY dangerous to other players.
There is a reason why boarding is punished harder than other penalties and it’s because it’s very dangerous to be tackled a short distance from the boards when you can hit them with your head first and suffer severe neck injuries. I think that’s something all hockeyfans would like to avoid.
If it happens once….sure give him a 5….but this is repeated behaviour from Ovi’s side…..I say out, show him that he can’t behave however he wants just because he is a star.
The sport is, in my world, supposed to be technical, fast and physical…..but not stupid physical.
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Ovie deserved the two-game suspension, IMHO. It’s not an excessive punishment, and still sends the clear message that hits like this can’t be tolerated. Good move by the NHL.
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No denying Ovi is an outstanding player but you have to question the guys character. This isn’t the first such incident and A.O. is getting a reputation (and by extension, so are the Caps). I was at the game. Gutless boarding hit. Campbell is now out for the season w/ broken collar bone and ribs. AO will be back after missing only two games. I think Caps coach is a douche-bag for defending Ovi at length.
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My wife has the answer. If, by an intentional act, you cause a player to miss 1 or more games you should be suspended until that player returns.
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I’m an oilers fan so not partial here, but seriously…I can’t understand guys who defend ovechkin here. And to signature “David”:
- Yes you brace yourself for a hit WHEN YOU HAVE THE PUCK. And how he falls has nothing to do with it. Point is he COULD have fallen worse. Well now he’ll be out the rest of the season while ovi smiles and takes the 2 games.
- And in what world does campbell have the puck? And yes follow through ALONG THE BOARDS, not 5 meters from it.
I have no respect for that player. Totally reckless and doesn’t care if he injure other players.
He is very good with the puck but in a situation like this he just tries to excuse himself and say it wasn’t his fault and that ugly coach of his stand behind him and say it wasn’t an ugly hit. Are they for real??
A real player like say for example Crosby would have gone out and apologized afterwards or at least showed some remorse for taking out a guy the rest of the season.
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