[ricebondsmntna2young]

Pardon my ignorance...I'm still learning about the unspoken rules of hockey. But I thought goalies were darned near untouchable. I've seen riots break out over much less (closer to the crease...but still well outside).

Miller has to take responsibility for incidental contact, even calamitous incidental contact, when he chooses to be that aggressive. But I don't see how any neutral observer could say that Lucic didn't intentionally and aggressively drive into Miller at the point of contact. That's a fact...whether the behavior itself is a cardinal sin in hockey is something that's over my head.

In my opinion, Lucic lowered the boom on a goalie and that's foul. Buffalo should've taken care of things Trevor Gillies style right then and there, but I wouldn't begrudge them that brand of retaliation at their next meeting.

[StreetSabre]

Bruinsfan08, if anything will happen to Lucic, it would be because of this rule:

69.4 Contact Outside the Goal Crease - If an attacking player initiates any contact with a goalkeeper, other than incidental contact, while the goalkeeper is outside his goal crease, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed.

A goalkeeper is not “fair game” just because he is outside the goal crease. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an attacking player makes unnecessary contact with the goalkeeper. However, incidental contact will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such unnecessary contact.

When a goalkeeper has played the puck outside of his crease and is then prevented from returning to his crease area due to the deliberate actions of an attacking player, such player may be penalized for goalkeeper interference. Similarly, the goalkeeper may be penalized, if by his actions outside of his crease he deliberately interferes with an attacking player who is attempting to play the puck or an opponent.

The Sabres know they had a lack of response after the hit, resulting in Myers being benched tonight for the first time in his career as a healthy scratch.

The response or lack-there-of still doesn't account for Lucic's action to continue flying into the goaltender. Most players can stop very quickly, or at least reduce some of the hit. If Shanahan calls him on anything, it will be for not "reducing the strength of a hit" or whatever he says all the time in those videos.

[pretzel mask]

If Shanahan calls him on anything, it will be for not "reducing the strength of a hit" or whatever he says all the time in those videos.

I'd agree with this assessment. Personally, I don't think he deserves a suspension. When a goalie plays the puck out in front of the net like that there's almost always some sort of collision. The only problem I have with the hit last night was that Lucic appeared to follow through on it and didn't try to avoid it at all.

[ty4orce]

When I played if someone hit our goaltender the whole team went after him........Sabres should have just went after him....take his number and just get him point blank..

[NDlaxbeast927]

First of all, watch all the angles of the play before throwing blame around. After playing the puck, Miller reared up to throw his shoulder into Lucic too, it wasn't a one way check, he just happened to get his backside handed to him. And after he hit the ice, he took a swing at Lucic with his stick, and when he failed to connect, he laid back down on the ice, so please stop pretending that he's blameless in this one.

Second of all, every goaltender that I know is saying this week that Miller is a moron for thinking he can stand in front of a speeding power forward on a breakaway and not get hit. He should never have been that far out playing the puck in front of a speeding train, for crying out loud. The goalie is untouchable in the crease, so stay there. Had Miller been the one to get the solid hit on Lucic, and Lucic gone down, they would have cheered Miller for being able to take him down, but since it's Miller that hit the ice, it's crybaby central about protecting the goalie. Here's the simple solution, stay in your crease, bozo. The fact that they're having a hearing about this is nonsense. Ron Hextall wouldn't be crying about it, he would have tried to take Lucic's head off. Swing your stick at a guy to TRY and hit him, and then call him a P.O.S., that makes sense Miller.

The Sabres, sadly, are pretty pathetic for letting him take the hit without immediate retribution. If the Sabres were smart, when they have the rematch, they'll play hockey and keep the idea of getting back at the B's right out of their minds, as it's too little too late, the only way to make it right is with a win. Despite thinking turnabout is fair play, I still hope they lose, because it's against my team. If the situation was reversed, and someone laid out Thomas, I would be blaming HIS stupid decision to think he's above being hit outside his crease....

Rule 52b:

“A Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty shall be assessed any player who charges a goaltender while the goaltender is within his crease or who injures an opponent as a result of a charge.

Note: A goaltender is not “fair game” just because he is outside the goal crease area. A penalty for interference (Minor or, at the discretion of the Referee, a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty) or charging (Minor or, at the discretion of the Referee, a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty) shall be called where an opposing player makes unnecessary contact with a goaltender. Likewise, Referees should be alert to penalize goaltenders for tripping, slashing, or spearing in the vicinity of the goal.” (Canadian Hockey Referee’s Case Book/Rule Combination, 2001, pg. 141).

Charging penalty assessed, end of discussion. Rules are rules, and you can't go rewriting them now. And that doesn't even take into consideration the fact that Miller geared up to throw a hit as well. Watch the replays, it's a split second, but he knows what's coming, and he tries his best to lay a hit on Lucic, and then swung his stick when he got clowned. Whether you like it or not, video evidence doesn't lie. Also, speeding in on a breakaway and having the puck taken out of play seconds before a hit doesn't even constitute charging. If Lucic had sped up, fine, but he didn't. He started to stand up until he realized Miller was leaning in for a check, THEN he put his arms out. There are many quite a few clips that show the contact in slow-mo and from the reverse angle, watch 'em.

Finally, anyone that calls Lucic a dirty player in the face of a guy like Kaleta being on the ice is ridiculous. Maybe Lucic should have hit Miller with a flying headbutt, then it would have been OK, right?

I'd like to disagree with you on the first part. Miller didnt try to hit lucic he had is eyes on the puck the whole time and as soon as miller put his stick on the puck lucic extended his arms and shoved him over. miller was just trying to defend him self a little. And yes, miller did swing his stick at him, because what was he supposed to do? Lucic is such a "tough guy" for doing this right? and the refs give him a 2 minute minor and thats it? he should at least gotten a 10 min misconduct. I cant believe that anyone is favoring lucic in this. I used to have respect for lucic but definitly not anymore.

[StreetSabre]

Well, I guess it doesn't matter now: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=601357

[rippinwax]

He just got off scott free. Maybe should have been a little fine, but surprised and then I am not. Sets up a situation similar to last years deal with the Bruins and Montreal when they play Buffalo again.

[StreetSabre]

I almost find it ironic. A lot of people in Buffalo were (stupidly) calling for Miller's head after he had a short slump - just because Enroth has been the hotter hand. Well, they got what they wanted. :/ Now our franchise goaltender AND his health are in question indefinitely.

This is his second concussion, and they only get worse.

[jonathani]

After playing the puck, Miller reared up to throw his shoulder into Lucic too, it wasn't a one way check, he just happened to get his backside handed to him. And after he hit the ice, he took a swing at Lucic with his stick, and when he failed to connect, he laid back down on the ice, so please stop pretending that he's blameless in this one.

I saw these two points right away, BruinsFan, and could not agree more. If you are going to go out there with the idea that someone will not hit you and then you get ready to hit them you should be knocked down.

JonathanI

[gary991979]

Guys

point is you can't hit the goalie

Plan and simple it don't matter where he is on the ice.

He got a 2 min minor maybe should have got more.

and I would not be surprised if someone takes a run at Thomas next time they paly.