Ballard nearly decapitates Vokoun

[MrSnyder]

IDIOT! I hope the team suspends him for knocking out his own goalie!

YouTube - Keith Ballard almost decapitates Tomas Vokoun

[hockeyron]

I've been a huge hockey fan for alot of years and you never know what you might see during a hockey game but honestly this might be the most bizarre thing I've ever seen during a game ...

Ballard is gonna have to live with this the rest of his career .... this was a stupid, stupid move and extremely reckless ......
yeh I"ve seen alot of guys break sticks over and across the goalposts for years but this was still reckless ....
It's obvious that he's so upset that he does'nt even notice what he's done ... after Vokoun goes down he still takes the stick and breaks it across the post and then skates away .....
I understand being upset about giving up a goal etc. etc. but you still need to control your stick ..... taking your stick and doing a overhead chop on top of the cross bar with no chance of hitting anybody is one thing but blindling taking a full bore 2 hander sideways like that is just stupid .... any number of players skating by could have taken that to the head ....
sure he was upset on the bench and he should have been .... a few inches lower and he could have seriously, seriously injured his own goalie ..... one of the basic rules in hockey is controlling your hockey stick and that was totally unexceptable ....
IMO he should get a suspension simply for reckless stick swing whether the stick made contact with anyone or not ...

Hopefully Vokoun will be fine and hopefully this will end up being a wake-up call to not only defenseman but goalies as well about breaking , or attempting, to break sticks over the goalposts after giving up a goal ....

ron

[hairysasquatch]

Holy mackerel! I think Ballard will be packing his bags for the minors today if the Panthers brass has any stones at all!!

[matts_cardz]

wow, that was rediculos....thats gotta make all the players think twice about hitting that goal post in frustration from now on...damn

[Rinkwraith]

So Vokoun was on the trading block prior to this, now we'll see if Ballard goes up for sale as well. Who wants a D-man who might KO your goalie in the playoffs? Anyone?

[hockeyjunkie99]

I find it funny how after the first swing of his stick he didn't realize he hit his goalie. Then because his stick didn't break he swung it back on the outside of the post to break. Then he skated away as if there was nothing wrong that happened.

PS: If I broke a $200+ hockey stick I would be even more pissed!!! Must be nice to get free sticks.

[IndySportsCards]

I saw that last night. Couldn't believe it! Did the guy go sudden retard or what?! Geesh.

[Tucci_Bandana]

It happened to Jaroslav Halak as well. Pretty funny video if you ask me.

YouTube - Tomas Surovy slashes Jaroslav Halak

[mma138]

not funny at all

[MrSnyder]

I heard this morning that there will be NO PENALTY from the Team or League! CRAZY! Also, Vokoun can't/won't play until they develop a mask that goes around his stitches...

[Tucci_Bandana]

Originally Posted by MrSnyder

I heard this morning that there will be NO PENALTY from the Team or League! CRAZY! Also, Vokoun can't/won't play until they develop a mask that goes around his stitches...

It was an accident, so why would they penalize Ballard?

[MrSnyder]

Originally Posted by Tucci_Bandana

It was an accident, so why would they penalize Ballard?

WHAT! Accident or not, he injured his own teammate! You sound like one of my 5th graders. Just because it's an accident doesn't mean that you shouldn't take responsibility and/or receive consequences for not controlling your actions.

[Rinkwraith]

Ballard struck again last night taking out Craig Anderson of the Avs in OT. Horrible crashing of the net.

[Tucci_Bandana]

Originally Posted by MrSnyder

WHAT! Accident or not, he injured his own teammate! You sound like one of my 5th graders. Just because it's an accident doesn't mean that you shouldn't take responsibility and/or receive consequences for not controlling your actions.

I take it you've never watched a hockey game... Guys do this (hitting the goal posts) on a nightly basis. Ballard just happened to clip his teammate in the ear. Anyways, Vokoun wasn't even mad about it and the NHL's Official Rulebook specifically states "Opposing player" or "Opponent" when it comes to stick fouls. The highest punishment the NHL or the Panthers should even think of is a fine.

[Tucci_Bandana]

Originally Posted by Rinkwraith

Ballard struck again last night taking out Craig Anderson of the Avs in OT. Horrible crashing of the net.

He clearly didn't do it on purpose though, just bad timing for Ballard to do that.

[Rinkwraith]

Originally Posted by Tucci_Bandana

He clearly didn't do it on purpose though, just bad timing for Ballard to do that.

Yeah, but we he did do on purpose was pretend he had Ovie speed to get past the defenseman and ended up plowing into Anderson at a full clip. This plowing into the crease stuff irks me more than any errant stick swing.

[Tucci_Bandana]

Originally Posted by Rinkwraith

Yeah, but we he did do on purpose was pretend he had Ovie speed to get past the defenseman and ended up plowing into Anderson at a full clip. This plowing into the crease stuff irks me more than any errant stick swing.

Well what we he supposed to do, shy away from the net and not try and score? In hockey it is stressed that you always drive hard to the net. Ballard had a legit chance and he happened to fall or get knocked into Anderson.

[MrSnyder]

Originally Posted by Tucci_Bandana

I take it you've never watched a hockey game... Guys do this (hitting the goal posts) on a nightly basis. Ballard just happened to clip his teammate in the ear. Anyways, Vokoun wasn't even mad about it and the NHL's Official Rulebook specifically states "Opposing player" or "Opponent" when it comes to stick fouls. The highest punishment the NHL or the Panthers should even think of is a fine.

You don't know me very well! Partial season tickets to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hershey Bears. Travel to DC about 6 times a year to see the Caps. Please don't tell me that I've never watched hockey before! I understand hitting the goal post with your stick and I KNOW THE RULES! Don't lecture me like I'm a 10-year old kid. My point is this, he injured a teammate because he was careless. If I take my eyes off the road for 1 second and hit another car, golly gee Beaver, I have to take the blame. I didn't mean to cause any trouble, but I did. Do you get my point now?

[Tucci_Bandana]

Originally Posted by MrSnyder

You don't know me very well! Partial season tickets to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hershey Bears. Travel to DC about 6 times a year to see the Caps. Please don't tell me that I've never watched hockey before! I understand hitting the goal post with your stick and I KNOW THE RULES! Don't lecture me like I'm a 10-year old kid. My point is this, he injured a teammate because he was careless. If I take my eyes off the road for 1 second and hit another car, golly gee Beaver, I have to take the blame. I didn't mean to cause any trouble, but I did. Do you get my point now?

I guess, but it doesn't deserve a suspension.

[Rinkwraith]

Originally Posted by Tucci_Bandana

Well what we he supposed to do, shy away from the net and not try and score? In hockey it is stressed that you always drive hard to the net. Ballard had a legit chance and he happened to fall or get knocked into Anderson.

YouTube - Keith Ballard runs over Craig Anderson 12/02/09

No, but he could have tried to backhand it in to make it a legit chance. Instead he purposely leans into the goalie as he is falling at full speed. Hockey rules state there must be an attempt to stop, here Ballard makes no attempt to stop, but rather makes an attempt to make sure he makes contact with the goalie.

[Nicnac]

Originally Posted by Tucci_Bandana

I take it you've never watched a hockey game... Guys do this (hitting the goal posts) on a nightly basis. Ballard just happened to clip his teammate in the ear. Anyways, Vokoun wasn't even mad about it and the NHL's Official Rulebook specifically states "Opposing player" or "Opponent" when it comes to stick fouls. The highest punishment the NHL or the Panthers should even think of is a fine.

Here's the problem. In baseball, when the opposing team scores a home run, no one grabs a bat and throws it in the vicinity of another player. In football, when the opposing team scores a touchdown, no one takes off their helmet and throws it...
In the NBA... if you even look funny after getting dunked on, you are liable to be punished.

In the NHL, it's completely okay (apparently) to whack your stick on the goal-posts, or bench wall, or whatever, until it breaks or you realize it won't break. The danger here is that you might hit someone.
If Vokoun was crouching 2 inches higher (or Ballard aimed 2 inches lower) he would have hit the goalie in the throat. Or, what if it was not a goalie with the full helmet and he had hit a player in the temple. Is the instant (or not so instant) death of a player on the ice the moment we want the NHL to start giving out fines for 2-year-old style temper tantrums?

[hairysasquatch]

I agree that Ballard should be punished, but where it really should originate is FROM WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION - i.e., demotion to minors, suspension, immediate trade for a used puck bucket, etc. Is this guy really that valuable? Are they regarding Vokoun as expendable? Even if they're shopping him won't other teams wonder about any lingering effects? It's amazing that everything seems to be business as usual
The way he skated off and left Vokoun lying there AFTER belting him was what would have done it for me - I could almost forgive the asininity of his actions if he had not "left the scene," in such a cold-blooded manner. Full disclosure - I have been a goalie all my life - still playing at ~40. If someone on my own team did this to me he would be on all fours picking up scattered teeth the moment I came to my senses

[Tucci_Bandana]

Originally Posted by Nicnac

Here's the problem. In baseball, when the opposing team scores a home run, no one grabs a bat and throws it in the vicinity of another player. In football, when the opposing team scores a touchdown, no one takes off their helmet and throws it...
In the NBA... if you even look funny after getting dunked on, you are liable to be punished.

In the NHL, it's completely okay (apparently) to whack your stick on the goal-posts, or bench wall, or whatever, until it breaks or you realize it won't break. The danger here is that you might hit someone.
If Vokoun was crouching 2 inches higher (or Ballard aimed 2 inches lower) he would have hit the goalie in the throat. Or, what if it was not a goalie with the full helmet and he had hit a player in the temple. Is the instant (or not so instant) death of a player on the ice the moment we want the NHL to start giving out fines for 2-year-old style temper tantrums?

Are you serious? Players in all sports show frustration all the time. I've seen helmets thrown, hell, even chairs thrown by Bob Knight. Don't come in here acting like hockey is the only sport where players show emotion. Also, nobody is going to accidentally whack anybody in the head in a while if not ever, these things are complete accidents.

[Tucci_Bandana]

Originally Posted by hairysasquatch

I agree that Ballard should be punished, but where it really should originate is FROM WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION - i.e., demotion to minors, suspension, immediate trade for a used puck bucket, etc. Is this guy really that valuable?

Yes, Ballard is the team's best D-man...

[Nicnac]

Originally Posted by Tucci_Bandana

Are you serious? Players in all sports show frustration all the time. I've seen helmets thrown, hell, even chairs thrown by Bob Knight. Don't come in here acting like hockey is the only sport where players show emotion. Also, nobody is going to accidentally whack anybody in the head in a while if not ever, these things are complete accidents.

I didn't say anything against showing emotion in hockey. If I had a problem with that, I would be in here slamming fights. I DID however mention the idea that having childish tantrums is somehow okay in hockey but not in any other major (or minor) sport.

So, as to your referenced incidents in other sports, show me an example of throwing something in the vicinity of another player that has NOT resulted in ejection, suspension, warnings, or SOMETHING other than the official commentary regarding Ballard: "He is having a terrible week, poor fella!"

Finally as to the last part of your comment. Nobody is ever going to knock another player in the head? Are YOU serious?