Bradley To The Rescue
Matt Bodenschatz | National Hockey League
Jan 13, 10:20 AM | Hype this story!
Don’t worry, Alex Ovechkin, there’s no need for you to answer the bell for your cheap hits.
Matt Bradley will take out the trash.
After serving penalties for a scrum a questionable hit, Ovechkin and Lightning forward Steve Downie found each other for a good old fashioned, one on one one on two fight.
Just after Ovechkin dropped his gloves to take on Downie, Matt Bradley interrupted and took over. Ovechkin was left to watch.
To his credit, Ovechkin was ready to answer the bell.
But what Bradley did is exactly the type of action that gives hockey a bad name.
It’s not as if Ovechkin was squaring off with, say, Colton Orr, Eric Godard, or another of the league’s heavyweight fighters. It was Steve Downie. You know, the little punk who used to play for Philly.
Anyway, Bradley earned 27 minutes of penalties and a game misconduct for his stupidity, and I’d even lobby for a suspension.
There’s no room for a third player in what should be a two player fight.
What are your thoughts.
Comments
SprJudd
Jan 13, 04:00 PM
I think Bradley should be suspended for a couple games – as a 3rd man in and for leaving the bench to fight. The Caps are contending that Bradley came out on a line change, but if you look at the replay, Eric Fehr – the player Bradley was supposedly replacing on the ice – was headed toward the bench but nowhere near it. If TK got 2 for leaving the bench to fight, so should Bradley…and tack on at least another 1 or 2 for being a 3rd man in.
Ovechkin must be regretting telling a reporter that nobody would kill him on the ice. Looks like Downie was the first (in what I predict will be a growing number of players now) to try.
Brad
Jan 13, 04:06 PM
I saw this last night and couldn’t believe it. I wonder if Bradley acted on his own. He did come straight from the bench. Perhaps he was told by Boudreau to protect Ovechicken. If that is the case maybe two suspensions???
Zach Boslett
Jan 13, 04:10 PM
I think Bradley was just trying to protect his season. He must not want to golf early again this year.
In all seriousness, the NHL is getting ridiculous with this.
A big, clean hit results in a brawl.
A simple case of answering the call for a questionable hit and some joke has to come flying off the bench?
I wonder what Jack Lambert thinks about this? Maybe they should consider making tutus part of the uniforms? Maybe some players should wear a different color helmet so the opposing players know which players are off limits to touch or hit.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 13, 04:17 PM
@Brad, per Capitals Insider, Boudreau said, “You knew Matt would step in. The last thing we want is Alex fighting.” Not a confession to sending Bradley over the boards, but an indication that it might have been the case.
bag o' pucks
Jan 13, 04:30 PM
Yes, this was a fun topic last night on thepensblog, I think Bradley embarrassed OV. To say the least, OV’s going to get a lot of chatter on the ice from opponents about this. I see a scrap with Crosby in the not too distant future.
DaBich
Jan 13, 04:30 PM
Funny thing is, Bradley has fists flying, but Little Downie Punk actually took him down! lol
2 for coming off the bench and 2 for third man in.
Brad
Jan 13, 04:39 PM
Look close at the biggining of the video. Boudreau is standing on the bench by the blue line right where Bradley came from. I’m pretty sure he was standing there as the penalties ended just in case he had to give Bradley the tap.
Ed
Jan 13, 04:47 PM
I think there should be 2 suspensions for this… 1 to Bradley for all the reasons talked about and 1 to Ovy for yet another knee to knee hit. It probably wasn’t the most illegal knee hit I have seen from him. Think of it as a little reminder to OV that the league is watching him.
Just a fun note. I unfortunately live in DC and always have to hear OV this, OV that, OV walks on water. So, I came up with this is nickname for him instead of the great 8, I choose the great ape.
Enjoy your Wed…
james
Jan 13, 05:32 PM
Imagine the uproar over the internet if Sid was to drop the gloves and have somebody like Guerin or Kunitz jump in to fight instead. But since it’s Ovechkin, he once again gets the “Well, he would have beat Downie anyway” treatment.
ForgedMissionOrders
Jan 13, 05:59 PM
Ovechkin is a great player, but when someone finally drops gloves with him, here comes Bradley flying in to make sure he can’t actually defend his own actions. I agree with the above, if Sid gets a bad rap for not fighting his own battles whats up with this? You’ve gotta think there are a few Sean Avery types out there who saw it too and will be more than happy to remind him about it every time they see him. Seriously, the dude was about to dance and out of nowhere his boy swoops in and steals his date, too damn funny!
Casey
Jan 13, 06:52 PM
Reason #342 Sid is better than Ovie: Sid drops the gloves.
SprJudd
Jan 14, 09:53 AM
@Casey – Ovechkin did drop his gloves and did look prepared to engage in a fight. It was Bradely who came flying in, probably saving Ovechkin from getting demolished by Downie. I can’t really fault Ovechkin for not fighting after Bradley swooped in – that’d spell definite ejection and suspension for him.
Ovechkin needs to cut this cheap shot crap out, that is not debatable. But he at least seemed willing to answer for it – a willingness he has never shown before. Maybe it is the C on his chest. More likely, I think he finally realized that if he doesn’t start fighting some of his own battles, things will get very uncomfortable for him both on and off the ice.
Casey
Jan 14, 09:56 AM
@ SPRJUDD – Clarify, Sid fights his own fights. I know it’s not Ovechkin’s fault that Bradley jumped in, but I want to have a little fun with this.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 14, 11:13 AM
@SprJudd & Casey:
My thoughts are that there seems to be a team mentality that Ovechkin can’t/shouldn’t fight anyone. In general, it’s a good mentality, as the last thing you want is your franchise player to break a knuckle, break a bone, or worse doing something he’s not accustomed to doing. In other words, I think that franchise players should stick to playing hockey and leave the heavy lifting to guys more suited. But there are times that a fight is needed, and Ovechkin, to his credit, was willing to answer the bell and man up.
What Bradley did, in my opinion, hurt the cause more than he helped. If Ovechkin is going to dish out the borderline dirty hits and never is allowed to stand up for it in the aftermath, the consequences will be dirty hits on Ovechkin. And I know in Washington there’s a cocky mentality that a player would have to catch him to hurt him, but believe me, it will happen, as a lot of the NHL’s more dirty players are small and speedy.
Natty Lite
Jan 14, 11:52 AM
I’m hoping for a free candy or a free cookie when they meet after the road trip.
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