Welcome, Hammer!

I remember that cross-check and how Gretzky reacted to it... What a crybaby...


By E.J. Hradek, ESPN The Magazine, Feb. 18, 2002:

The play in question started with a scrum around the net. Canada's Theo Fleury got tied up with Czech goalie Dominik Hasek. Both men fell to the ice. With his usual savvy, Fleury made it difficult for Hasek to get up as the play moved to the corner. In an attempt to separate Fleury from Hasek, one of the Czech defenders jabbed at Fleury while he was still down on the ice. Fleury, still on the ice, poked back at the Czech player.

As the play continued, Fleury regained his feet. In the frenzy of the moment, Czech defenseman Roman Hamrlik crushed Fleury from behind with a vicious cross-check sending the little winger face-first to the ice.

The whistle blew, but NHL/Olympic referee Bill McCreary made no call on Hamrlik. That, of course, is not really a surprise to those of us who watch many NHL games. Seemingly, at least once a NHL game, a player is cross-checked or slashed without receiving a penalty. Usually, this happens -- as it did on this occasion -- in the final minutes of a close hockey game.

To prove just how commonplace this type of play has become, Fleury himself just shrugged his shoulders when asked about the play.

"I'm fine," he said. "It's part of the game."

Welcome, Hammer! I am pretty sure Neuvy is very happy.

Now the funny part...

Roman Hamrlik (HAM-er-lick)


Puck Daddy's winner


Original, from Habs forum


Update: Three Czechs and you're in:
Good move by GMGM to sign Tomáš Vokoun. Tell you the truth, Neuvy is a bit fragile, a bit too young. Vokoun can possibly take #1 role from Michal Neuvirth, but he can also help his fellow countryman to mature.

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