Steve Downie sucker punch on Jason Blake

[friarcanuck]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned this yet. Most people were probably still celebrating Canada's gold to watch the Leaf game later that night.

Steve Downie better install some rear view mirrors on his helmet, cause someone is bound to come after him if he keeps pulling stunts like his sucker punch on Saturday.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp3hpCZwcq8

[Andy]

Saw that, too. Is this guy even interested in playing hockey?

[Neon_Matrix]

No one would give it a second thought if it was another player, say Carter who had done this. It is only because Downie has been vilified that it has recieved this much attention, that, and because we here in Toronto have nothing better to do besides over analyse everything involving the Leafs. I still like Downie and think he has a solid career ahead of him... once he realises he has made the NHL and doesn't have to try and impress people anymore by playing over the edge on a consistant basis. He is easily a 25+ goal scorer per season if he can tone down the excitment and focus on playing hockey more. Mark my words, in a few years you will see him netting upwords of 50-60 points a season. That is, if Phila doesn't try and change his game into being a goon over a hockey player...

And I am still getting the Downie jersey and do not intend to get something else!!

[Erik121]

Good lord this guy is something else. He really doesn't seem like he wants to play hockey, he just wants to play Street Fighter on skates.

[DEAD!]

Good lord this guy is something else. He really doesn't seem like he wants to play hockey, he just wants to play Street Fighter on skates.

... or Blades of Steel....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MuFHWToil8s

[zer0dotcom]

I'm very surprised that he was not suspended for this. It wasn't like they were 'just' broken up ans still swinging. They were both restrained, had stopped, and Downie gave him a cheap shot.

He's not off to a great start. This, and his suspension? That's 2. He'd best stay on his feet and watch his back, if this is the way he wants to play, there are plenty of players out there that I would wager would step up and play the same way.

[Fred T. Jane]

A Philly player doing something dirty? Shocked! Shocked I say!

[WJMorris3]

Even as a Flyers fan, he should have been banned from the NHL when he cross checked Aliu back in 2005. There's no room in the NHL for this kind of hooliganism.

[Erik121]

Good lord this guy is something else. He really doesn't seem like he wants to play hockey, he just wants to play Street Fighter on skates.

... or Blades of Steel....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MuFHWToil8s

Or like how we used to beat down Gretzky in NHL 94

^video contains strong language

[zig]

He also tried to trip Andy Greene of the NJ Devils from behind.

What is up with the Flyers? When will they learn?

[scoobytim]

A Philly player doing something dirty? Shocked! Shocked I say!

Could you please explain that comment a little further?

Yes the punch Downie threw was late and unsportsmanlike, but it was a very physical game lots of hitting and players crashing the net late and a lot scrums after the whistle. Are we even talking about this if it any other player involved?

[Fred T. Jane]

A Philly player doing something dirty? Shocked! Shocked I say!

Could you please explain that comment a little further?

Yes the punch Downie threw was late and unsportsmanlike, but it was a very physical game lots of hitting and players crashing the net late and a lot scrums after the whistle. Are we even talking about this if it any other player involved?

Easiest way to answer this:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/1157...warns-team.html

NHL suspends Flyers tough guy Riley Cote three games and warns team

Riley Cote will sit out the next three contests.

The Canadian Press

2007-12-03 20:48:29

TORONTO - The NHL has suspended another Philadelphia Flyers player and told the club to clean up its act.

Tough guy Riley Cote got a three-game suspension for a vicious elbow on Matt Niskanen of the Dallas Stars late in a 4-1 loss Saturday night. Cote got a match penalty on the play.

He's the fifth Flyer this season to get suspended following Steve Downie, Jesse Boulerice, Randy Jones and Scott Hartnell.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and league disciplinarian Colin Campbell held a conference call with Flyers GM Paul Holmgren on Monday.

"They're all different in their own right (the suspensions), but the fact that it's happened this number of times to us and hasn't happened to a lot of other teams, it's concerning to the league as it is to us," Holmgren told The Canadian Press. "We've just got to play a little smarter. We want to play a hard game, an aggressive game, a physical game, but there's been instances where we've crossed the line.

"And we've just got to play more of a smart, physical game."

So from now on, the Flyers are on watch.

"We were kind of put on notice more than anything and that's fine," Holmgren said from his Philadelphia office. "We understand the consequences and we've just got to be a smarter team."

The Flyers' other suspensions:

-Hartnell got two games for checking Bruins defenceman Andrew Alberts in the head in a game last Monday.

-Jones was given a two-game suspension after he sent Boston's Patrice Bergeron face-first into the boards on Oct. 27. Bergeron hasn't returned to action since he broke his nose and sustained a concussion as a result of the hit.

-Boulerice was handed a 25-game suspension for his cross-check to the face of Vancouver's Ryan Kesler in an Oct. 10 game.

-Downie got 20 games after flying down the ice, jumping through the air and delivering a hit to the head of Ottawa's Dean McAmmond during a pre-season game.

[scoobytim]

A Philly player doing something dirty? Shocked! Shocked I say!

Could you please explain that comment a little further?

Yes the punch Downie threw was late and unsportsmanlike, but it was a very physical game lots of hitting and players crashing the net late and a lot scrums after the whistle. Are we even talking about this if it any other player involved?

Easiest way to answer this:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/1157...warns-team.html

NHL suspends Flyers tough guy Riley Cote three games and warns team

Riley Cote will sit out the next three contests.

The Canadian Press

2007-12-03 20:48:29

TORONTO - The NHL has suspended another Philadelphia Flyers player and told the club to clean up its act.

Tough guy Riley Cote got a three-game suspension for a vicious elbow on Matt Niskanen of the Dallas Stars late in a 4-1 loss Saturday night. Cote got a match penalty on the play.

He's the fifth Flyer this season to get suspended following Steve Downie, Jesse Boulerice, Randy Jones and Scott Hartnell.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and league disciplinarian Colin Campbell held a conference call with Flyers GM Paul Holmgren on Monday.

"They're all different in their own right (the suspensions), but the fact that it's happened this number of times to us and hasn't happened to a lot of other teams, it's concerning to the league as it is to us," Holmgren told The Canadian Press. "We've just got to play a little smarter. We want to play a hard game, an aggressive game, a physical game, but there's been instances where we've crossed the line.

"And we've just got to play more of a smart, physical game."

So from now on, the Flyers are on watch.

"We were kind of put on notice more than anything and that's fine," Holmgren said from his Philadelphia office. "We understand the consequences and we've just got to be a smarter team."

The Flyers' other suspensions:

-Hartnell got two games for checking Bruins defenceman Andrew Alberts in the head in a game last Monday.

-Jones was given a two-game suspension after he sent Boston's Patrice Bergeron face-first into the boards on Oct. 27. Bergeron hasn't returned to action since he broke his nose and sustained a concussion as a result of the hit.

-Boulerice was handed a 25-game suspension for his cross-check to the face of Vancouver's Ryan Kesler in an Oct. 10 game.

-Downie got 20 games after flying down the ice, jumping through the air and delivering a hit to the head of Ottawa's Dean McAmmond during a pre-season game.

Ok I misunderstood your comment a little bit was trying to do several other things at one time. However the Jones and Hartnell suspensions were undeserved, Bouerice and Downie can not be defended, the Cote hit and suspension I missed and was unaware of.

[jkrdevil]

A Philly player doing something dirty? Shocked! Shocked I say!

Could you please explain that comment a little further?

Yes the punch Downie threw was late and unsportsmanlike, but it was a very physical game lots of hitting and players crashing the net late and a lot scrums after the whistle. Are we even talking about this if it any other player involved?

Easiest way to answer this:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/1157...warns-team.html

NHL suspends Flyers tough guy Riley Cote three games and warns team

Riley Cote will sit out the next three contests.

The Canadian Press

2007-12-03 20:48:29

TORONTO - The NHL has suspended another Philadelphia Flyers player and told the club to clean up its act.

Tough guy Riley Cote got a three-game suspension for a vicious elbow on Matt Niskanen of the Dallas Stars late in a 4-1 loss Saturday night. Cote got a match penalty on the play.

He's the fifth Flyer this season to get suspended following Steve Downie, Jesse Boulerice, Randy Jones and Scott Hartnell.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and league disciplinarian Colin Campbell held a conference call with Flyers GM Paul Holmgren on Monday.

"They're all different in their own right (the suspensions), but the fact that it's happened this number of times to us and hasn't happened to a lot of other teams, it's concerning to the league as it is to us," Holmgren told The Canadian Press. "We've just got to play a little smarter. We want to play a hard game, an aggressive game, a physical game, but there's been instances where we've crossed the line.

"And we've just got to play more of a smart, physical game."

So from now on, the Flyers are on watch.

"We were kind of put on notice more than anything and that's fine," Holmgren said from his Philadelphia office. "We understand the consequences and we've just got to be a smarter team."

The Flyers' other suspensions:

-Hartnell got two games for checking Bruins defenceman Andrew Alberts in the head in a game last Monday.

-Jones was given a two-game suspension after he sent Boston's Patrice Bergeron face-first into the boards on Oct. 27. Bergeron hasn't returned to action since he broke his nose and sustained a concussion as a result of the hit.

-Boulerice was handed a 25-game suspension for his cross-check to the face of Vancouver's Ryan Kesler in an Oct. 10 game.

-Downie got 20 games after flying down the ice, jumping through the air and delivering a hit to the head of Ottawa's Dean McAmmond during a pre-season game.

Ok I misunderstood your comment a little bit was trying to do several other things at one time. However the Jones and Hartnell suspensions were undeserved, Bouerice and Downie can not be defended, the Cote hit and suspension I missed and was unaware of.

Jones and Hartnell didn't derserve to be suspended? Look I think Jones was the most defensible because I don't think the was malicous intent there but he still hit someone from behind. I think the NHL got that suspension right. As for Hartnell he elbowed someone's head in the board in the board while they were on there knees after the moved the puck. There was no reason to go in and do that the player had already taken themselves out of the play. He should have gotten a longer suspension.

Also let's not forget Hatcher basically getting away with biting Travis Zajac friday. Then again after what Hatcher did against the Leafs it probably hurt the team more by him not getting suspended.

[Neon_Matrix]

Even as a Flyers fan, he should have been banned from the NHL when he cross checked Aliu back in 2005. There's no room in the NHL for this kind of hooliganism.

Downie has a problem. The guy lost his hearing in an ear due to a condition (which he is appearently very sensitive about) and watched his father die while driving him to a hockey practice while he was still very young. This does not add up to a guy not having a closet full of demons, especially when some of those issues people know will set him off. I know some people who have either worked with him or have known him and they all agree that when people bring up either of those issues he can kind of... erm... snap and as a result, you see him going crazy sometimes. When people have the nerve to bring up such off limit issues (Avery commenting on Blakes cancer... can you imagine if he did that to Lemieux???) you can't expect someone not to react. With players who lack respect for others, these kinds of things happen.

While I am not saying what he did was right in this case, it was in fact very stupid, it does not take away from the kind of player he is, which is in fact a very good one. He just has some quirks which, when aggrivated, can piss him off, just like it could piss any of us off. With the whole Aliu incident, appearently Downie was being taunted or harassed by him and that he was being very insensitive about those issues which resulted in him snapping.

He is getting help from what I have heard but you cannot expect him not to react if others don't have the decency to resepct one another on the ice and play like competitors and not like combatants. He will get his head on straight one day... who knows if Blake was chirping Downie earlier and the game and this was his chance to get him back... who knows what went on but it happened and there is nothing we can do about it besides hoping it does not happen again... WITHOUT issuing a suspension.

[philly97flyer]

But I supposed this one's ok. Because after all, it doesnt involve a Flyer commiting the act. Rather, one of the leagues darlings. Gotta love the double standards.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

now its official, Flyers-Downie jersey is getting added to my closet. Flyers old style replica, non-rbk edge flyers.

[zer0dotcom]

But I supposed this one's ok. Because after all, it doesnt involve a Flyer commiting the act. Rather, one of the leagues darlings. Gotta love the double standards.

No, it's not OK. That's just as much garbage, and if the league didn't do something about it, they should have. The Flyers are getting more press because this kind of things is happening very regular. Buffalo has been pretty quiet as of late, so I'm not that surprised if this just got through under the radar. It's teh same as what Downie did to Greene, a cheap trip. The NHL needs to clamp down on acts like this before the league becomes a real mess

[BB61]

I'm puzzled as to why Bettman thinks that this is tarnishing the image of the sport. It's not like anyone's watching, anyway.

[habsfan1]

So this is the same guy who laid a dirty hit knocked out Dean McCamond. F he just came back from a 20 Game suspension. Does anybody here realize that? He should be banned for life. But in reality, teams better look out when they face the flyers in upcomming games, cause he's commin to getcha!!!!