Puck Daddy - NHL

Puck Daddy

Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:46 am EDT

Devastating hockey hit of the day, minor league edition

By Greg Wyshynski

Drew Hoff seems like a nice enough kid. Nicknamed the "Hoffer." Two dogs named Zoey and Luci. Loves South Park, Red Lobster, building tree forts and thinks he resembles Dane Cook. (Really? I see Jason Segel with old school Timberlake ‘fro.)

So it's with a heavy heart that we report that the Tri-City Americans center was on the receiving end of one of the most brutal hits we've seen on any level of postseason hockey this year, courtesy of Spokane's awesomely named Judd Blackwater in the WHL playoffs:

Spokane currently has a 3-2 lead in this series, as Blackwater actually ended up scoring a double-OT, game-winning goal later in the contest. The Tri-City Americans blog I Mean, We Got Guys believes Blackwater shouldn't have been in the game during that overtime after his "intent to injure" Hoff on the hit:

Judd Blackwater. His hit on Drew Hoff was brutal. It was textbook charging. Took several strides across the ice then left his feet and plowed into Drew with his elbows leading the way. There was no penalty on the play. Drew did not return. IMO, the turning point in the game.

Related: Goons and Pugilism

digg delicious
more

218 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. bmurf
    1. Posted by bmurf Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    that blogger is an idiot. total fanboy. you can see on the replay that there isnt any elbow, its all shoulder. plus im pretty sure you can also see him NOT leave his feet until after the collison. take a look for yourself. This hit looks really different if you can see it as a legal one.
  2. bwayblueshirts4e
    2. Posted by bwayblueshirts4e Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    hoffer had his head down...you will almost certainly get crushed. it was clean all the way
  3. Bill Totten
    3. Posted by Bill Totten Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:08 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    True, he didn't leave his feet before the hit nor did he hit him with his elbow, however, he did take 3-4 strides before he hit him - that's Charging.
  4. Dave
    4. Posted by Dave Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    yea that was definitely a clean hit, he's not even skating when he hits him, he starts coasting before he gets to him, plus with all open ice hits u gotta keep ur feet moving, it was just a good hit on a guy with his head down
  5. George
    5. Posted by George Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:42 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Looks like a clean hit to me.
  6. fabiolax30
    6. Posted by fabiolax30 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The hit was by far clean. one of the most brutal clean hits i've seen. I mean who do you think Blackwater is Scott Stevens???
  7. Bar BQ
    7. Posted by Bar BQ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:48 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Clean hit-- got to have your head up or you can get hurt!!
  8. Brian
    8. Posted by Brian Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:25 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    That hit was a helluva lot cleaner than the one Niklas Kronwall laid on Radek Bonk in Round 1 of the playoffs this year. I agree it could be borderline charging, but I don't see any intent to injure or anything like that.
  9. Granny Mouse
    9. Posted by Granny Mouse Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:45 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Not only was it a clean, brutal hit ... just goes to show you can't believe everything you read !!
    Textbook charging ???? NOT even close ... Bill T, look again ... face to face contact eliminates the penalty "charging."
  10. Sombrero Guy
    10. Posted by Sombrero Guy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Face to face eliminates "boarding". Charging is taking more than three steps before hitting an opposing player.
    That being said, I didn't think it was a dirty hit. The dude had his head down.
  11. dboom
    11. Posted by dboom Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    There wasn't anything wrong with the Kromwall hit either. Like they say keep your head up and know who's on the ice.
  12. Jeremy B
    12. Posted by Jeremy B Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I'm a wings fan, and yes, Kronwall's hit shouldve been a penalty. Completely clean aside from leaving his feet though. Apparently he was just a little anxious in laying him out, but I doubt there was any intent to injure - a penalty though, yea. Bad calls made and missed all the time though. Deal with it.
  13. RonaldS
    13. Posted by RonaldS Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:23 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Bmurf - why do you rush to call someone an idiot for their opinion just because you don't agree. If you knew hockey at all you would recognize this as charging. It has nothing to do with elbows or leaving your feet. Know the rules better before you call someone out.
  14. Dakinator
    14. Posted by Dakinator Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:32 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ie
  15. evan
    15. Posted by evan Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:55 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    hey tucker, way to call someone out like a true fool. it's a clean hit and you know it. you can't possibly say that the strides he took were definitively towards another player. he was striding toward the puck and shame on hoff to put his head down behind the net while a player like blackwater on the ice. maybe if this play happens at center ice the officials are more sympathetic, but when a guy gets caught with his head down behind the net, that's a dumb play.
    that being said i do think blackwater's intent was to injure hoff lol
  16. Foto Master
    16. Posted by Foto Master Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:01 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    A good clean hit. Blackwater stopped striding and begins gliding--slowing DOWN a bit--as he crosses the face-off circle on the forecheck. Hoff had his head down and the replay clearly shows Blackwater lowers his shoulder to made shoulder-pad-first contact. Yeah, the results aren't pretty, but it was a clean hit. The refs made the right non-call. Now I just hope Kenny Holland sees this ....
  17. Stephen
    17. Posted by Stephen Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The "three strides" rule is not in the rule book. The charging rule is discretionary based on the officials interpetation of the situation. In this case, the player was skating for the puck...the hit ended up being 'violent' only because the opposing player had his head down. The player making the hit started to glide well before the actual contact, he did not leave his feet prior to contact and the contact was shoulder to chest/head (only because the head was down). NO PENALTY - CLEAN HIT.
    Here is the actual rule text
    "Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A "Charge" may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.
    A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player who skates or jumps into, or charges an opponent in any manner.
    When a major penalty is imposed under this Rule for a foul resulting in an injury to the face or head of an opponent, a game misconduct shall be imposed, and an automatic fine of one hundred dollars ($100).
    A minor, major or a major and a game misconduct shall be imposed on a player who charges a goalkeeper while the goalkeeper is within his goal crease."
  18. shane c
    18. Posted by shane c Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Brutal but clean, all shoulder and the collisiion made him leave his feet. Plus he took only two stirdes before the hit NO Charge Just a Brutal Hit
  19. P
    19. Posted by P Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    That is the old school hockey that I miss!
    That was awesome!
  20. freedom-of-religion-is-in-the-constitution
    20. Posted by freedom-of-religion-is-in-the-constitution Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    IMO it wasn't charging since he did coast the last ten or so feet. It was a clean hit. Drew Hoff was at a disadvantage since Blackwater came around the net and probably didn't see him. Charging is when you take strides just before the hit. The guys feet are on the ice for at least five feet so.... A nice hit. Elbows down. Good shoulder. From a former referee...
  21. Brian S
    21. Posted by Brian S Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:39 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ouch!
  22. wook911
    22. Posted by wook911 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hey all pro hockey players always say to keep your head up when playing the puck because if you do not this will always happen to you a clean hit that looks brutal because the kids head is down looking at the puck................tip for everybody that plays hockey always keep your head up................
  23. Andrew R
    23. Posted by Andrew R Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Clean hit or not... its funny. i guess it could be borderline charge, but its always the refs call in ANY sport. you can hate hockey or like it... but everyone can relate to the saying "its only a penalty if the ref says so"
  24. Jeremiah W
    24. Posted by Jeremiah W Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaa booooooyyyyyyyyyyy.
  25. paul s
    25. Posted by paul s Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    thats gonna leave a mark...great clean hit!!!

Puck Daddy

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]

Related Photo Gallery

More NHL Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

Puck Daddy Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)

Watch Live Hockey Online with GameCenter Live™