Retaliation? or cheap shot?

[burd]

I don't buy using the rationale that hockey is a rough game to justify Prpich's stunt. Violence is a great part of the game: when a player has his head down and gets flattened, he had it coming. Good body shots in open ice or along the boards are a joy to watch. Stickwork, though, is usually chickensh!t. Some players, like Prpich, play a good verbal game, and that is ok too, and fun. Paukovich deserved what he got, and I surely don't feel sorry for him, but Mike's doing it just strikes me as stupid--nothing more.

That said, I'm not sure what a coach should do about it. I think most or all of us really like the fighting spirit Prpich brings to the ice. How to get him to play smarter and keep that spirit is probably easier said than done.

[Goon]

I don't buy using the rationale that hockey is a rough game to justify Prpich's stunt. Violence is a great part of the game: when a player has his head down and gets flattened, he had it coming. Good body shots in open ice or along the boards are a joy to watch. Stickwork, though, is usually chickensh!t. Some players, like Prpich, play a good verbal game, and that is ok too, and fun. Paukovich deserved what he got, and I surely don't feel sorry for him, but Mike's doing it just strikes me as stupid--nothing more.

That said, I'm not sure what a coach should do about it. I think most or all of us really like the fighting spirit Prpich brings to the ice. How to get him to play smarter and keep that spirit is probably easier said than done.

Good post, I think what Mike did was classic Prpich. I expect nothing more from him. Mike is not going to go down as one of the cleanest players in UND history, but there are other that have been worse. I am trying to name a few but I am drawing a blank. I think Marty Schriner is one that comes to mind.

[petey23]

If Oshie had been whacked in the eggs by a Denver player intentionally - this board would be full of people calling the Denver player cheap, a thug, a goon, etc. My guess is that we would be whining like young pigs who missed morning breakfast from their mom's pink tit. I wonder how many of you would be saying that it wouldn't be "unusual" and the normal course of a game and it was OK to do this to Oshie because they were just trying to throw him mentally off his game ?

Fact of the matter is - it is funny and couldn't have happened to a bigger jerk. But, the last thing this Sioux fan wants is for something like this to be considered OK FOR ANY OPPOSING PLAYER.

Some things seem like simple logic to me. But I'm sure I'll set off a tempest on the vigilante justice crowd.

Apples and oranges. At this point in his career, Oshie has not sexually assaulted a minor girl and taken a run at a player after the whistle and drove him into the boards putting his career and the ability to lead a normal life at great risk.

[southpaw]

Apples and oranges. At this point in his career, Oshie has not sexually assaulted a minor girl and taken a run at a player after the whistle and drove him into the boards putting his career and the ability to lead a normal life at great risk.

so what you're saying is that because of paukovich's past, he deserves everything he gets until he can't play hockey anymore? how does that make anything better?

does matt greene deserve to be hacked and cheapshotted until he can't play anymore, because he got a dui? he was putting hundreds of people's lives at risk when he drove the car drunk. or does that not count because it wasn't on the ice? well then what about the full speed elbow to the head of the scsu player a couple years ago. surely, an elbow to your head could put that persons life at risk... so should matt be pummeled until he can't play?

all i'm saying is that the paukovich stuff needs to be let go. he's a kid. he makes mistakes. he's made some cheap shots on the ice, but how long will the retaliating go on for? how long is it ok to rack him in the balls for?

[yzerman19]

I think we saw a lot of really good things last night. I think we saw the Sioux playing their game. I read an article talking about how the guys who played in the WJC really needed that time off two weeks ago. I think the excellent play of Toews and Lee and Chorney (particularly in the D zone) made that evident. Oshie has been playing at the next level all year. We saw Stafford skate around everyone and make some great passes, we saw Johnny Toews rifling pucks into the uppers and ringing the hat trick off the crossbar like the NHL stud he is expected to become, we saw Sparky stick handling like Zhamnov out there, we saw Zajac playing his consistent rock solid game on both sides of the ice-even though he was kept off the score sheet, we saw Oshie bringing the 1990 Roenick style of play we all love leveling guys and scoring goals, we saw Porter taking and giving hits every shift and getting a couple decent scoring opportunities (or at least creating them for his linemates). We saw Duncan playing the little Hoogsteenesque sniper. We saw Lee and Chorney and Radke playing good D and stepping into the offensive rush when it was smart. Smaby played the physical leadership role, and Prpich played his instigator role (as this thread is dedicated to) and contributing a working man's goal. We also got solid play out of the lower lines with Kozek sniping a lower and Kaip mucking it up. Even Jones and big Joe actually seemed to hold their own and play decent positionally. We did all of this with a short bench. Jordy came up big when he needed to, but he didn't have to very often, even though I would like him to stay in the net more

The post that says the Gophers would like to play the Sioux in March in Englestad is off his rocker. They would like that as much as we would like playing in Mariucci. In a rivalry game with all the chips on the table anything can happen. Even though the Gophs one 3 outta 4, two wins were by one goal. I don't want to play them, and I am sure they don't want to play us on our home ice. Michigan made a living out of winning regionals at Yost when they were a 3 or 4 seed. If the Sioux play like they have the last three games going out, they will be very dangerous, with the possibility of winning it all. The only teams that frighten me right now are MN (equally talented, playing exceptional hockey, and a rival) and BU ( I haven't seen them, but they must be playing well to be where they are at in HE) and possibly Michigan State. Wisconsin is down, we beat Miami, the ECAC is weak.

[Goon]

Goon- I apologize to you as I missed that post of yours you quoted.

It was in a article that I posted on my Blog. I know what most of us want a NCAA tourney bit.

I am sure most of you guys know that we don't want a bunch of giddy Goofer fans in our arena calling it Mariucci West. Nothing bugs me more than that. I also know that we have a very good chance of beating them if we hook up with them. Remember its basic math Jordy > Briggs and the sum of Briggs=Sieve.

[Sioux-cia]

all i'm saying is that the paukovich stuff needs to be let go. he's a kid. he makes mistakes. he's made some cheap shots on the ice, but how long will the retaliating go on for? how long is it ok to rack him in the balls for?

I don't agree with your take on the cup shot but I do agree that we should keep our discussion on the game. Unfortunally, Robbie's neck was broken by someone twice his size who came at him fast, hard, from behind and with total disregard of the blown whistle. This is going to follow both kids for the rest of their lives. It's not something that many of us are ever going to forget, disregard or ignore. Just read the news articles written regarding this series. Because of this, every suspect hit, check, trip, etc. to the Punk is going to be over read, over reacted to, and over discussed. Had Prp done the same to any other player on that team would there be a special thread for it? Not likely. It would have been discussed in the game thread and died there. Instead, you felt it needed it's own thread. By starting this thread, those of us who disagree that the action was retaliation/cheap, those of us who hate the Punk, those of us who read more into the action than I believe it deserves, those of us who think Prp should be benched/thrown off the tream/given a medal, are all here posting opinions.

IMHO, by starting this thread, you're one of the two that has racked the Punk in the balls this weekend.

[Smoggy]

I don't see why we should forget about Punkovitch. What he did was terrible. Maybe he feels bad about it, but it hasn't changed his playing style. He will end up hurting someone else. Every player that ever steps on the ice with that guy needs to remember what he did. Who knows when he might do it again.

Take the Oshie incident last night. That could've ended up much worse than it was.

[Goon]

I don't agree with your take on the cup shot but I do agree that we should keep our discussion on the game. Unfortunally, Robbie's neck was broken by someone twice his size who came at him fast, hard, from behind and with total disregard of the blown whistle. This is going to follow both kids for the rest of their lives. It's not something that many of us are ever going to forget, disregard or ignore. Just read the news articles written regarding this series. Because of this, every suspect hit, check, trip, etc. to the Punk is going to be over read, over reacted to, and over discussed. Had Prp done the same to any other player on that team would there be a special thread for it? Not likely. It would have been discussed in the game thread and died there. Instead, you felt it needed it's own thread. By starting this thread, those of us who disagree that the action was retaliation/cheap, those of us who hate the Punk, those of us who read more into the action than I believe it deserves, those of us who think Prp should be benched/thrown off the tream/given a medal, are all here posting opinions.

IMHO, by starting this thread, you're one of the two that has racked the Punk in the balls this weekend.

I think that is very well stated and sums it up pretty well.

[sprig]

He put a good check from behind on Finley tonight. Fortunately, Finley is big enough he remained upright and didn't do a header into the boards. CFB nevertheless, not called. Punko hasn't learned a thing.

[Goon]

He put a good check from behind on Finley tonight. Fortunately, Finley is big enough he remained upright and didn't do a header into the boards. CFB nevertheless, not called. Punko hasn't learned a thing.

Nice to see Joe not turning into the boards.

[sprig]

Nice to see Joe not turning into the boards.

Very similar check, although not as hard, by Finley on Cook that got him the major. Cook, however, gave a delayed fall to the ice like he'd been shot, and drew the call.

[UNDLAW]

Very similar check, although not as hard, by Finley on Cook that got him the major. Cook, however, gave a delayed fall to the ice like he'd been shot, and drew the call.

It seems that although the "turn" helps, the calls have been stemming on "how far" from the boards and whether the checker is letting up or speeding up when the "turn" happens. In any event, the calls tonight were touchy but, technically, correct. I think the first 5 minute major we took should have been a classic "boarding" or even interference given the blatent "turn" prior to the check and the fact that the guy never even went to the ice or left his feet for that matter!

[HockeyMom]

racked the Punk in the balls

That's bumpersticker worthy.

[redwing77]

I can think of two... Jim Archibald and Mike Commodore

Greene's first two seasons weren't exactly "prim and proper"

[PCM]

I forgot I still had this picture from last year's national championship game on my Web site. Here's a fine example of spearing. The tip of the DU player's blade is hitting Spirko right in the neck. Remember when Sparky went down in the third period and literally crawled off the ice? That was why. It was a legitimate spear that was never called.

[UNDLAW]

I can think of two... Jim Archibald and Mike Commodore

I totally disagree with "The Commodore."

Yes, he was a force. Yes, he took a LOT of penalties... many at stupid times. However, in no way would I consider Mike cheap. He merely finished plays that were heads up in a way that we, as Sioux fans, were not used to nor had seen finished in a number of years.

I remember a game where Jason Blake was sat (for being a whiny butt) and we were on the road (either away at CC or DU) and Mike was playing behind our own net when he took a glove to the face which was uncalled for. Instead of letting it go - and while the player was looking at him (and even expecting it?) - Mike grabbed him by the neck and pinned him up about 3 feet higher on the boards and threw him to the ice and pounced him. I think he got a 2 and 2 minor, but Deano pulled him for it. That was vintage Mike. Not cheap. Not from behind. Just over the top and in your face. Man I miss that guy.

[burd]

Exiled as I am in this hockey desert called Wisconsin, sometimes the only time I get to see the Sioux in person is in Madison. My first recollection of Commodore was at the Dane when he got ejected for fighting. I don't even remember the fight--I think he was a freshman and neither I nor any of the Bucky fans knew who he was. I remember him being escorted off the end (through the zamboni door I think, though I can't say why) with his helmet off and this big shock of red hair. Bucky fans can be merciless, and the place was booing him pretty good. Mike was defiant even then. He didn't flip them off, but he gestured in some way that made it clear he wasn't going to take any crap from Bucky players OR fans. My thought was that this guy is pure old-school Canuck--and I mean that in a good way.

[siouxperstar]

I don't buy using the rationale that hockey is a rough game to justify Prpich's stunt. Violence is a great part of the game: when a player has his head down and gets flattened, he had it coming. Good body shots in open ice or along the boards are a joy to watch. Stickwork, though, is usually chickensh!t. Some players, like Prpich, play a good verbal game, and that is ok too, and fun. Paukovich deserved what he got, and I surely don't feel sorry for him, but Mike's doing it just strikes me as stupid--nothing more.

That said, I'm not sure what a coach should do about it. I think most or all of us really like the fighting spirit Prpich brings to the ice. How to get him to play smarter and keep that spirit is probably easier said than done.

Agree totally here--Prpich has made it his life's mission to trash talk & get opposing players off their game--great, it works! However, when he is taking a faceoff & the whole country is focused on the drop, why does he do something so stupid?? He wasn't doing it on the "sly." You'd think he'd know he wouldn't get away with it, & the TEAM then is gonna suffer because instead of trying to score, they're fighting off his selfish penalty. Granted, we all cheer when Paukovitch gets his due, but c'mon, think of the team, buddy. We can't afford to have anybody in the box (as evident in last night's game). This is such a pattern for Prpich--you can almost count on him getting a dumb penalty every game.

[Herf]

Agree totally here--Prpich has made it his life's mission to trash talk & get opposing players off their game--great, it works! However, when he is taking a faceoff & the whole country is focused on the drop, why does he do something so stupid?? He wasn't doing it on the "sly." You'd think he'd know he wouldn't get away with it, & the TEAM then is gonna suffer because instead of trying to score, they're fighting off his selfish penalty. Granted, we all cheer when Paukovitch gets his due, but c'mon, think of the team, buddy. We can't afford to have anybody in the box (as evident in last night's game). This is such a pattern for Prpich--you can almost count on him getting a dumb penalty every game.

No offense, but it was the perfect time to do what he did, as is evidenced by the fact that he wasn't originally called for it. Only after Pauk went down like he'd been shot and GG acted like someone stole his milk money was anything done. The drop was over and the puck was somewhere else. It's the same reason why guys pull dirty crap behind the play - they usually get away with it. If GG whines at all, a tape of Pauk's hit on Oshie should be shoved down his throat. I personally enjoyed seeing Pauk go down after a hit by Spirko - now that had to be embarassing (no offense to the Lady Byng (sp?) candidate of course).

[PCM]

If GG whines at all, a tape of Pauk's hit on Oshie should be shoved down his throat.

If Paukovich's hit on Oshie would have ended T.J.'s season or career, would Prpich's stunt have been worth it?

[ATLSiouxPhan]

If Paukovich's hit on Oshie would have ended T.J.'s season or career, would Prpich's stunt have been worth it?

No way. Oshie has too much potential.

[Herf]

If Paukovich's hit on Oshie would have ended T.J.'s season or career, would Prpich's stunt have been worth it?

Of course not. And we have no clue if the two were related. Given Pauk's past play, what makes you think he wouldn't have pulled that on T.J. had Prpich NOT slashed him? My guess is that Paukovitch didn't like the fact that he got cleanly checked by T.J. Regardless, it was a cheapshot - and not the first by Prpich or most teams' instigators. It recieved so much attention because of Gwoz's hysterics and who it was committed against.

[ATLSiouxPhan]

To answer the Forum's original question: Retaliation

[Yttrium]

If Paukovich's hit on Oshie would have ended T.J.'s season or career, would Prpich's stunt have been worth it?

First off, Paukovich is a piece of ****. He brought nothing to Team USA in the World Jr.'s and he's a walking law suit as a defendant dressed in a DU jersey.

Can't score goals .... simply a goon. The reason why Team USA stunk at the WJC is that they did not buy into the team concept. Too many individuals and no care to play as a team. USA Hockey should quit worrying about promoting a few prima donna's and start developing elite Jr. and Olympic 'team' players. How embarrassing losing in WJC because USAH wanted to make a few players #1 draft choices this summer. No wonder why no one would carry the games live. And the Olympics were just as bad.

And to think Paukovich was a teammate of TJ Oshie. The guy will kill someone one day on the ice. Mark my words. He's a prime example of how not to raise a kid.

It's my hopes the NCAA looks at the footage of his hit on Oshie on Friday night. What kind of message are you giving kids when boardings and absolute intent to injure cheap shots only warrant 2 minutes for interference.

At least have the guts to call attempted murder on that move you would make in hand to hand combat w/ an Iraqi soldier in Saddem's army.

5+DQ should have been the call and a formal hearing on this players past history and current hits. If this keeps up we will have a tragic ending in some young players life.