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THN.com Blog: Five for a clean hit

Andreas Lilja and Dion Phaneuf prepare to square off.

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Andreas Lilja and Dion Phaneuf prepare to square off.

Ryan Dixon

Ryan Dixon
2007-11-28 13:48:55

Hockey has so many great traditions, but one of my least-favorite customs was on display last night in Detroit.

Calgary crusher Dion Phaneuf laid out little Jiri Hudler with one of his patented, bone-crushing hits at center ice. Even Hudler’s mother would tell you it was a perfectly clean play. But that didn’t stop Detroit defenseman Andreas Lilja from extracting revenge on Phaneuf in the form of a fight.

I admire Lilja’s spirit; teammates have to stick up for each other. And had it been a dirty hit, I could live with retribution by donnybrook.

But the consequence for delivering a clean hit should not be a forced five minutes in the box. Phaneuf had no choice but to partake in the bout once Lilja came after him.

Why should he (and his team) be punished for making what amounts to a great defensive play? Should Phaneuf have to sit on the bench and weigh his options before a shift?

Would the thinking go: “Well, I could give my team a lift by laying somebody out, but is that worth our worst defenseman getting more ice time while I sit in the box for five minutes?”

And don’t try telling me Phaneuf shouldn’t be clipping Hudler’s wings just because he’s a little guy. If Hudler can’t take the hits, he shouldn’t be in the league. If small players didn’t have to endure hard checks there’d be nothing remarkable about them playing with the big boys.

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The proper course of action when a teammate gets smacked with a hard, but legal, hit should go something like this; pat him on the back, tell him his still-attached head has to be up at all times and, of course, get the number of the delivery truck and some time when he’s not suspecting it, two months down the road, crunch him with a clean check of your own.

HOLD YOUR HORSES A quick note to all fans and media members completely consumed with playoff races before December: A junior hockey coach once told me bench bosses try not to live and die with each game, but rather approach the season as a body of work. When the season starts you have two goals; make the playoffs and be better in April than you were in October. To some degree, the rest is details.

So next time you’re losing sleep over how your team fared in Game 23 on a Thursday night in Nashville, try to keep the big picture in focus.

COMMENTS (19)

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James Posted
(2009-04-30 07:45:14)



Open ice hits are too rare these days and should be appreciated, not villified. The code says payback for a clean hit should be another hit...not a fight. Fighting after a clean open ice hit because of the need to save face or regain respect sounds like gang thinking...not worthy of a meaningful hockey debate.
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John Doe Posted
(2009-04-30 06:08:53)



Have you ever played hockey before? I don't think so cause if you had any knowledge of the game you would know that respect is a big thing and charging a little guy is not respectful. if you ask me disrespectful players like Phaneuf and LePierrier and such are ruining the game. Go Wings!!!!!!!!!
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mark Posted
(2009-04-30 05:56:02)



I used to have a lot of respect for Detroit fans . It's not only an original 6 team but also called "hockeytown"! I knew Colin Campbell wouldn't even review the hit...totally clean ! I wish there were more open ice hits....as hard as it is to deliver . Detroit has a skillful team but you better keep your head up when a guy like Phaneuf is on the ice !
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Brent H. Posted
(2009-04-30 05:55:23)



You got to be kidding me right. Phaneuf had no choice but to fight Lilja? Getting challenged to a fight=/=being required to accept it. Unless someone is pulling a Bertuzzi on you then you always have a choice if you wanna fight or not. And yes the hit was clean, it was just Hudler making a big mistake by skating down center ice with his head down expecially with a guy like Dion Phaneuf on the ice.
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Geoff Posted
(2009-04-30 05:55:18)



Wow as a die hard Detroit fan and an avid fan of hockey fights I find it refreshing to see Lilja go and stand up for a teammate. To bad it was more of a hug fest than a good fight. As for the hit, Phaneuf should not have left his feet to deliver a hit on a guy that is 5'9". Was the hit dirty? I think it was just a little bit. Hudler should have had his head up. Plain and simple, and Phaneuf should not have left his feet. The hit would have been plenty good and as devistating if Phaneuf stayed on his feet. But to be against standing up for a teamate is crazy.
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Coal Cracker Posted
(2009-04-30 05:55:15)



Will the NHL suspend Phaneuf or do they just suspend guys who play for the Flyer?
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John Chandler Posted
(2009-04-30 05:55:15)



Ryan, give me a break. Phaneuf's antics in that game were more than enough reason for him to answer the bell on top of the hit on Hudler. What's wrong with standing up for your teammates? This piece goes against what a big piece of the game of hockey is all about. Terrible.
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Steeveebr Posted
(2009-04-30 05:55:14)



If anyone reads the rule book, this was NOT a clean hit. Dion left his feet and his elbows came up specifically to the level of Hudler's head. This was NOT a clean hit and saying it is good hockey is absurd. Also, it has been already mentioned that fighting is a choice and Dion chose to drop his gloves. Calgary is a dirty team, has been for years and will continue to be as long as Iginla is their captain--Even more so now that Keenan is their coach. I'm extremely interested to hear Dixon's take on last year's playoff match-up between Detroit Calgary that featured (Langkow's camera caught punch on Lebda when he was down on the ice, but that wasn't enough he then had to SLAM his head on the ice and give him a concussion) and (Iginla's trying to pointlessly pick a fight with every Wing he could run into at the end of game 5 or 6). Calgary is a dirty team that resorts to dirty physical play when they are losing. Did you have any comments on those plays Mr. Dixon?
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Jeff_Hanson Posted
(2009-04-30 05:55:14)



That was one of the most ridiculous blogs I have ever read ... kudos for Lilja showing that the Wings will not be run at in their own building ... 20 years ago we would have seen a nice little line brawl instead of that bout ... The Hockey News ... it's writers ... columnists ... bloggers ... janitors ... shows they know nothing about hockey ... and once again re-assures me that I made the right decision to cancel my subscription to your rag 10 years ago ...
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auxlepli Posted
(2009-04-30 05:55:13)



I watched the the highlights again and Phaneuf left his feet. I like clean, hard hits. Many times though hits are labeled clean when in fact they weren't. Stevens was a master at receiving praise for his hits. While technically his hits were clean, their intent wasn't. There's no reason in my mind if you see a player with his head down to hit him that hard. I read a Gordie Howe quote about this once. He said when he was playing he'd give the other player a heads up that he was about to be hit. These days players blind-side each other, needlessly and with intent to injure in my opinion.
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