Why You Can Never Count A Playoff Team Out. (The Greatest Comebacks)

·         1995 NBA Eastern Conference Semis: Indiana 107, NY 105

Arguably the craziest 16.4 seconds in sports history, Reggie Miller helped his Pacers, who were down by 6 with 16.4 seconds left, come back against the rival NY Knicks. Down by 6, Reggie drained a three only to instantaneously steal the inbound pass, retreat behind the line, and knock down another one. After John Starks missed two potential go-ahead free throws, Miller got fouled after pulling the rebound. He hit the two shots as the Pacer comeback was complete. Spike Lee still cries about it.

·         2000 NBA Western Conference Finals: Lakers 89, Portland 84

With elimination at stake and the strong but troubled Trail Blazers up 15 points in the 4^th quarter, the Lakers mounted a remarkable comeback. Led by Kobe and Shaq, the Lakers went on a 25-4 run to end the game. The comeback was highlighted by the now classic highlight of an Alley-oop from Kobe to Shaq. The Lakers went on to sweep the Pacers and the newest dynasty was born.

·         2002 NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Boston 94, New Jersey 90

Before the big three, Paul Pierce was the lone star for the Celtics who made the largest 4^th quarter comeback ever. Down 21 points to start the fourth, the Celtics outscored the Nets 41-16 in the final quarter for the 4 point win.

·         1993 NFL AFC Wildcard: Buffalo 41, Houston 38

In what many call the greatest comeback in sports history; the Buffalo Bills overcame a 32 point deficit to beat the Houston Oilers. Down 35-3 in the third quarter, the Bills were down and out, especially with star QB Jim Kelly being knocked out early in the game. But with backup QB Frank Reich at the helm, the Bills led a remarkable comeback to defeat the oilers in overtime.

·         1992 NHL Divisional Semifinal: Kings 6, Oilers 5

With the best player of all time, Wayne Gretzky, the Oilers led 5-0 before the Kings amazingly scored 6 unanswered goals to win 6-5 in overtime. The win is all the more stunning considering who was on the heavily favored Oilers. LA took a 2-1 series lead and paved the way for their first round upset of the Oilers. The game became known as the “Miracle on Manchester.”

·         2011 NHL Divisional Round: Sharks 6, Kings 5

The kings were not lucky this time as they blew a 4-0 lead against the Sharks who came back to force overtime before winning the game 6-5. The Sharks were able to use the momentum and take the series 4-2.

·         1972 NFL NFC Divisional Round: Cowboys 30, 49ers 28

After falling behind 28-13 going into the fourth quarter, starting QB Craig Morton was benched for backup Roger Staubach who led a 17 unanswered point comeback to shock the 49ers. With less than two minutes left, Staubach threw a 20 yard touchdown. After recovering the onside kick, Staubach hit Ron Sellers for the game winning score with 52 seconds left.

·         2002 NFL AFC Divisional Round: Steelers 36, Browns 33

With a seventeen point lead in the second half, the Browns were poised for a playoff win over the rival Steelers. But QB Tommy Maddox led the Steelers to 29 second half points including the go ahead TD with 54 seconds left in the game. Maddox’s 367 yards and 3 touchdowns surprised everyone but no one more than the Browns who suffered another franchise devastating loss.

·         2002 NFL NFC Divisional Round: 49ers 39, Giants 38

The 49ers scored 25 unanswered second half points to top the NY Giants. Led by Jeff Garcia and T.O., the 49ers mounted an awesome comeback with a go ahead TD pass from Garcia to T.O. The Giants did have a chance when they lined up for a 41 yard game winning field goal. Unfortunately, the newly acquired long snapper botched the snap and the kicker attempted a down field pass but it fell incomplete. There was plenty of controversy as it appeared there was interference on the lineman down field but it was ruled that there was an illegal man downfield, thus capping the 49er comeback.

·         2003 MLB NLCS: Marlins 8, Cubs 3

The curse of the Billy Goat lives on. In game 6 of the NLCS, with the Cubs needing only one more win to make the World Series, the Cubs were ahead 3-0 with one out in the 8^th when Marlin Luis Castillo lofted a foul ball down the left field line. Cubs outfielder, Moises Alou appeared to have room for the catch but a fan interfered causing Alou to drop the ball. Castillo then walked and two batters later, the Cubs shortstop bobbled a potential double play ball. The Marlins went on to score 8 runs to win game 6. The Marlins ending up winning game 7 by a score of 9-6 as the Cubs were once again left wondering what could have been.

·         2004 MLB ALCS: Red Sox 6, Yankees 4

Not only was this the greatest series comeback ever, game 4 was also one of the greatest single game comebacks ever. The Yankees had dominated the Redsox in the first three games of the series by a combined score of 32-16. The Yankees were leaded Boston 4-3 going into the 9^th with the series in the hands of the invincible Mariano Rivera. But the Sox staged a comeback when after pinch runner David Roberts stole second, Bill Mueller singled off Rivera to tie the game. David Ortiz than finished the comeback with a two run walk off in the 12^th.

Why I Love NHL Game 7s.

Earlier this year I had written a post about the best Sports Finals of all time. The NHL or any hockey game didn’t appear on that list and I received much flack for it. While I am not here to defend that decision, I am here to discuss Game 7s in the NHL. The NHL playoffs are one of the more riveting and drama filled seasons in sports. With teams and their fans growing playoff beards, keeping to their superstitions and hopefully riding that hot goaltender all the way to the Finals, the Playoffs are often called the second season. In Hockey more than perhaps any sport other than Football, the hot team, the hot goaltender can shock anyone else and make their way toward the Cup. Just look at this year, every lower seed had the opportunity to win in the Eastern Conference and teams like Detroit and Vancouver had early exits in the West. As is often quoted by Sportscasters, there is nothing better than a Game 7. When everything you’ve worked for comes down to one final game to move on or go home, the pressure and intensity is at an unmatched level. As kids we all dream of growing up and scoring that overtime game 7 goal. With my NY Rangers and the local Devils both going into a game 7 tomorrow night, I thought it would be appropriate to take a look at some of the best game 7s in the history of the NHL. (In No Particular Order)

15.2009 Stanley Cup: Red Wings vs Penguins

Old vs Young; Past vs Prime; either way you look at it. This series was great. Detroit has dominated hockey over the last decade with a few Cups. Pittsburg had reemerged with their young budding stars like Sidney Crosby. The two forces collided in the finals as Pittsburg was able to pull off a dramatic game 7 victory, earning them their first cup since the early Jagr days. Pittsburg pulled out the 2-1 victory on then Pittsburg and now Philly star Maxime Talbot.

14. 2009 Eastern Conference Semis: Hurricanes vs Devils

Up 3-2 on home ice with the great Martin Brodeur in net and less than two minutes left to play, the Devils were sitting pretty. But Jussi Jokinen  scored for the Hurricanes with 1:20 to go. Then Eric Staal  shocked New Jersey by beating Brodeur with 32 ticks to spare on the clock. Carolina goaltender Cam Ward made 32 saves as the visiting Canes shocked the usually reliable and defensively minded devils.

13. 1987 Patrick Division Final: Islanders vs Capitals

Almost 7 hours of hockey were played in this game 7. Known as the Easter Epic, the two teams played 69 minuts of extra time and at 1:57am, Pat LaFontaine scored in the 4^th overtime as the Islanders moved on. Isles goalie Kelly Hrudey made a stunning 73 saves.

12. 1979 Wales Conference Finals: Canadians vs Bruins

The “too many men on the ice” game. The Bruins had a 4-3 lead against the three-time defending Stanley Cup champions with four minutes left, but got caught with too many on the ice. Guy Lafleur's subsequent power-play goal tied the game with 74 seconds to go. Yvon Lambert delivered the crushing blow with a goal at 9:33 of OT. A killer loss for the Bruins, one that stayed with them for a long time.

11. 2002 Western Conference Finals: Avalance vs Sharks

Can you imagine leading 1-0 for the second half of the game and holding off the opponent? Well that is exactly what Patrick Roy dd. After Forsberg scored in the second, the Avs held off San Jose’s 5-3 in the final 55 seconds to win the drama filled game.

10. 1993 Patrick Division Final: Islanders vs Penguins

The Penguins were two-time defending champions with Jagr and Lemieux but that didn’t scare Glenn Healy. The Islander goalie made 42 saves and held off the Penguins who came back to tie the game after being down 3-1. The Islanders won it in overtime ending the Pittsburg dominance.

9. 2011 Western Conference Semi-Finals: Sharks vs Red Wings

No team wants to lose after going up 3-0 in a series, especially if you have failed over and over again in the playoffs. The Sharks were able to avoid this in the crazy 2011 series. There were six 1 goal games and after the Sharks blew a 3-0 series lead, forcing a game 7, the Sharks were able to hold off the Red Wings on Patrick Marleau’s third period goal.

8. 2011 Eastern Conference Finals: Bruins vs Lightening

In this recent classic, Tim Thomas stopped all 24 shots in a very tense game 7. Nathan Horton scored with 7:33 remaining for the game’s only goal. This paved the way for the Bruins who went on to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in over 20 years.

2011 Eastern Conference Quarters: Bruins vs Canadiens

Nathan Horton was a stud. With more overtime game winners than I count in the post season, Horton put home a slap shot with 5 minutes left in overtime to urge Boston on. After winning 3 overtime games in the series, the Bruins were able to finish off the Canadians who had force the game 7.

7. 2010 Eastern Conference Semis: Flyers vs Bruins

Anytime a team comes back from 3-0 in a series, it is a miraculous event. The Flyers came back from 3-0 against their rival Bruins on Simon Gagne’s third period goal giving the Flyers the 4-3 win. If not for their 2011 Cup, the Bruins may still be scarred form this epic collapse.

6. 2004 Western Conference Quarters: Flames vs Canucks

What a game! In game 6 the Canucks blew a 4-0 lead before Brendan Morrison scored in triple OT forcing a game 7. In game 7, the Canucks were Down 2-1 in the final minute and on a power play with their goalie pulled when they took a cross-checking penalty and then watched as Calgary's Jarome Iginla, who had scored twice, narrowly missed an empty net. Incredibly, Matt Cooke jammed home the tying goal off the rebound of a shot by Markus Naslund with only 5.7 seconds left. But the crowd went home unhappy when Calgary's Martin Gelinas scored 1:25 into OT.

5. 1996 Western Semis: Blues vs Red Wings

Many know this game for Steve Yzerman’s amazing game winner with a slap shot as he crossed into the zone. The game was a double overtime thriller as Detroit won 1-0. What many don’t know is that Waayne Gretzky lost the puck before Yzerman came down scoring that iconic goal.

4. 1994 Stanley Cup Finals: Rangers vs Canucks

After blowing a 3-1 series lead, fear swept the city of NY who felt their 54 year Cup curse was bound to continue. But as the Rangers and Canucks faced off in game 7, the game was a thriller, 3-2, after the Rangers jumped out to an early lead and were able to hold off the Canucks in the 3^rd. Amazing moments from the series will always be remembered like Bure’s penalty shot and Lafayette’s shot that hit the post late in te 3^rd.

3. 1950 Stanley Cup Finals: Rangers vs Red Wings

After a back and forth series, the two squads partook in the first Game 7 overtime game ever and by virtue, the first double OT game 7 as well. After the game was tied with 4 minutes left in the third at 4-4, Pete Babando was able to give the Wings the win with 8 minutes left in the second overtime. Believe it or not, this was the first Stanley Cup finals where the players picked up the cup and skated it around the ice.

2. 1942 Stanley Cup Finals: Maple Leafs vs Red Wings

Many call this series the greatest comeback in Sports History (others like the Red Sox-Yankees). Down 3-0 in the series and down in game the Leafs made a remarkable comeback. After being outscored 12-6 in the first three games, the Leafs outscored the Wings 19-7 in the next four to win the series. The Wings took an early lead in game 7 before the Leafs took over. The series also ended the then very long Cup drought for the Leafs.

1.       1994 Eastern Conference Finals: Devils vs Rangers

I know I am slightly biased because I am a huge Ranger fan but in the last 50 years, this was probably the biggest game in the Ranger’s history, perhaps ever. After Messier notched a hat trick to bring true his “guaranteed” game 7, the Rangers and Stephane Matteau won the game in 2OT. 

Why Flawless is Just a Great Pure Heist Film. (Netflix Jewel #5)

I know it has been quite some time since the last Jewel but with its reduced population of good films, Netflix hasn’t made this segment so easy. Thankfully, our long wait will end but a beauty of a film. Flawless is an understated and underrated heist film starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore.  The film centers around a massive diamond heist with Caine playing the old janitor who wants to get back at the company for refusing to pay an insurance claim for his dying wife. Moore plays the executive within the company who seeks revenge after being mistreated and passed on for a promotion.  Loosely based on real events, the film has a very realistic feel to it. Honestly it was one of the more realistic and refreshing heist films I have seen recently. What makes the film so good is the lack of the bells and whistles. The film has no glitz and glamour but just focuses on these two individuals and what makes them tick. We achieve an in depth look at the psyche of these characters. Moore does a very solid job but its Caine who is the real scene stealer (yes pun once again intended). Caine is superb at any age and plays the old yet sly role better than anyone. Do you ever watch Caine’s films and just think that he always knows more than every other character. Kind of like he knows how the film will play out but lets everyone else figure it out for themselves. (see The Dark Knight and Inception).

The film itself is very slick. Flawless is an intricate, intelligent and deliberately paced heist film. You may not have  heard of it but you definitely won’t forget it.  There are of course those tension filled scenes when you feel the robbers will be caught but they are not over top dramatic and pull at your strings with just the right amount of suspense. The film is about purity. The heist is simple and pure, the acting is delicate and pure and the suspense is subtle and pure. Many reviews say that Moore is the focused character while Caine is understated but I believe that is the beauty of Caine’s character. Caine creates a forgettable “in the shadows” persona that a great robber dreams of. Without revealing too much more of the film I can only say you should definitely watch this film. Though it may seem like the film is moving slow at times, give the film a chance. The pace of the film is one of its most beautiful characteristics. The film may not be flawless but it is pretty darn good.

Sex: None

Violence: None

Language: Brief Strong Language

Drugs: None
Rated: PG-13
Run time: 105 minutes
Grade: 3.5 Stars

Why I Love Stand Up Comedy.

Uncle Ronnie seems to just know people. Whether being invited to a private restaurant party, getting a private tour of the White House, or simply knowing really cool and interesting people, Uncle Ronnie is quite the interesting man. Never ceasing to amazing me, he recently just dropped a bomb that he is personal friends with Judy Gold. For those of you who don’t know, Judy Gold is a great standup comic, most well known for her short pieces on HBO, Emmy Award winning writing for The Rosie O’Donnell Show and the truTV series World’s Dumbest. For those of you who don’t know me, I am an absolutely crazy fan of standup comedy. I often frequent comedy clubs and have heard most great comedic albums out there. There is something truly amazing about standup comedy. The realism and in your face aggressiveness simply excites me. There are so many funny things in this world and when someone brings these to life, there is nothing funnier. Many people in the industry (clearing pretending to know people in the industry) always claim that standup is the hardest form of comedy because the content and delivery is so focused on that you need to be on point to completely captivate your audience.

There have been some amazing comics throughout the years. I have heard some of the oldies but not all of them so my list here is my favorite comedians. This is my personal list and it may contain some surprises. Without further delay, I give you my favorite standup comics ever.

15. Jon Stewart

Best Bit: Political Rants

Best known for his The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (which I watch every day) and for hosting the Oscars twice, Stewart got his start as a standup comic. Often over the top but always funny, Stewart built up a following with his rants on every topic, the seeds for the Daily Show were clearly planted very early.

14. Frank Caliendo

Best Bit: Impersonation of John Madden and President Bush

Without a doubt the best impersonator ever, Caliendo cannot only imitate any single voice with exact precision; he also transforms his face to look like those he impersonates. If you don’t believe me and doubt impersonators, simply watch his work from the Letterman Show on youtube and close your eyes. You can apologize later.

13. Robin Williams

Best Bit: Cocaine (live at The Met)

I grew up on Robin Williams. After watching Mrs. Doubtfire, Williams was really the first comic that I ever followed. He takes the word eccentric and blows it out of the water. His specialty is going over the top and his Cocaine bit is a perfect example. Arguably the quickest and wittiest comic ever, Williams will forever be a great.

12. Mitch Hedberg

Best Bit: One Liners

Mitch Hedberg is sort of a mythical creature at this point. The 20^th century king of one liners, Hedberg is known for his strange humoristic style and amazing delivery. Before his unfortunate drug overdose, Hedberg thrilled audiences with his astonishing ability to perfectly deliver even the simplest of knock-knock and one line jokes. If he has a cult, I am a member.

11. Zack Galifianakis

Best Bit: The Hangover

I know it seems strange to use a movie as his best standup bit but the reasons I said that is because the character that Zack plays on stage is eerily similar to his role from the Hangover franchise. Zack plays the drunk, fat, and disgusting card better than anyone and has astonishing delivery with insane body and face control. Try watching him and you will find yourself dying of laughter and just begging him to break character which he never will. Also recommended, Zack Galifianakis in the Purple Room.

10. Jim Carrey

Best Bit: Saint Bearnard

Best known for his hilarious comedies and film roles, Jim Carrey also got his start in standup. At only the age of 19 he was already headlining tours and was signed very early on by Rodney Dangerfield. After being denied by SNL, Carrey made a name for himself on In Living Color but he will always be known in certain circles for his amazing standup. If you watch his early work you can really see how his future characters came to be.

9. George Carlin

Best Bit: “Seven Dirty Words”

The king of modern day dirty comedy, the late Carlin paved the way with Richard Pryor for all modern day comics. With his death in 2008, Carlin left a record amount of comedy specials and best selling CDs. Unafraid to approach topics such as politics, religion, race and other taboo subjects, Carlin broke boundaries that others refused to. He influenced many comics after him including the amazing Lewis Black, Jerry Seinfeld and Jon Stewart and Denis Leary. 

8. Louis C.K.

Best Bit: Kids

Widely considered the best standup comic today, Louis may just be the best self deprivation comic of all time.  There is no one out there that can stand on a stage and just hold his stomach fat and be funnier than Louis. His rants on his depressing and sad family existence are so realistic and just touches at home. With sparks of Seinfeld’s, day to day observations, Louis C.K. adds such a realistic touch to it, one that is not found in any other comic today.

7. Will Ferrell             

Best Bit: Harry Caray and Robert Goulet

Will Ferrell may be one the funniest film stars ever but he is also one of the best standup and sketch comedians ever. Bringing SNL to heights never seen before, Ferrell became the first major star of the 21^st century. Ferrell start also came in standup. I had the pleasure of seeing him on one of his Funny Or Die tours and I peed my pants. Ferrell’s standup is often revolving around impersonations and sketches but that doesn’t take away from his amazing characters and hilarious personas.

6. Blue Collar Comedy Group

Best Bit: “You Might be a Redneck”

The group of Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy from the funniest group of comedians we have ever seen. These mid-American (hick) comics rip on each other and the American way of life better than anyone. Each one with a different yet familiar style makes this the perfect group.

5. Jerry Seinfeld

Best Bit: Olympics

Very few people can claim to have changed comedy in the 20^th-21^st century. Jerry Seinfeld is one of those. With the most successful and arguably the best sitcom of all time, Seinfeld revolutionized comedy with his hilarious yet mundane observations. No one can make the simplest thing funnier than this guy. Read his books, watch his show, watch his standup and I promise you that you will fall in love with him. Without a doubt the most financially successful comedian of all time, Seinfeld changed how every comedian and every person saw the world.

4. Chris Rock

Best Bit: Ni**ers vs Blacks

Chris Rock was the first inappropriate comedian I had ever heard in my life and I fell in love. His classic over the top delivery just works for his material. Unafraid to rip on anyone or anything, Rock created a name for himself and has headlined many HBO specialist and even hosted the Oscars. Rock has excellent material and an even better delivery. His rant on two types of Black People may be my favorite bit of all time.

3. Lewis Black

Best Bit: Water/Politics

Often considered a living Legend, Lewis Black is one of my favorite comics ever. Well known for his role in the emergence of Political comedy and his many movie roles, Black is the best senile comic ever. Angry at pretty much everything he has ever encountered in his life, many people have said the F-word was created for Black. There is no comic, and I mean no comic that utilizes curse words better. I saw Lewis live earlier this year and could not stop laughing from start to finish.

2. Jeff Dunham

Best Bid: Walter

I am sure I will get some flack for having a ventriloquist so high on this list but Jeff Dunham may not only be one of the best ventriloquist of all-time, he is one of the best comics as well. His puppets and the characters he has created are amazing. Walter and Achmed the Dead Terrorist are such great acts. With the ability to bring in different characters, Dunham pulls off such a good back and forth with his characters. I have shown his work to many people over the years and every single one of them has laughed so hard they needed to pause the video. Trust me on this one.

1. Eddie Murphy

Best Bid: Delirious and Raw

Drop whatever you are doing and immediately watch Delirious and Raw. These are without a doubt the two funniest comedy specials I have ever seen. I laughed from start to finish and can listen over and over again these hilarious bits. From his impersonations to childhood stories, Murphy wouldn’t shy away from any topic which helped him become so so successful. With his mouth often getting him in trouble, Murphy had audiences dying of laughter and are two of the best selling comedy albums ever. To me, he is the king of standup.                   

Why Brendan Shanahan Is Getting It Wrong.

While I am always one for conspiracy theories, I won’t be crying wolf when it comes to Anti-Ranger theories around the NHL. What I will gladly complain about is the absolutely inconsistent and absurdity with which NHL Senior VP of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan has disbursed suspensions in the 2012 playoffs. There has been a record amount of fighting and hard and illegal hits this post season and the NHL exec has not shielded away from laying down the law. I used to work one floor away from the NHL and often ran into Shanahan in the elevator or lobby, if I saw him now; I would probably punch his lights out. I have absolutely no problem suspending players who deserve it; but I cannot rightfully justify the inconsistency we have seen in the playoffs.

The playoffs have been brutal with a handful of big name incidents with very varying and puzzling consequences.

1. Matt Carkner was suspended 1 game for physically assaulting a defenseless Brian Boyle.

2. Carl Hagelin was suspended 3 games for an illegal to the head of Daniel Alfredsson.

3. Shae Webber was fined $2,500 for taking Henrick Zetterberg’s head and smashing it into the boards.

4. Andrew Shaw was suspended 3 games for his collision with Mike Smith.

 (ALL VIDEOS CAN BE SEEN AT NHL.COM)

Take a look at these four instances and please tell me what is wrong with this picture. In two instances we have two players with absolutely no history of any violence or malpractice in the NHL who are suspended for numerous games for hitting 2 major players. Hagelin’s hit clearly looked like there was some intent but clearly no intent to injure and if you look at Shaw’s play he had nowhere to go, Smith didn’t defend himself and Shaw tried to get out of the way. Both of these players had no history of any malpractice.  In the other two cases, we have absolute intent to hurt someone violently. Both Weber and Carkner performed horrible acts that outside the rink would be cause for assault charges. If you don’t believe me please watch the video. Webber literally takes Zetterberg’s head and smashes it into the boards while Carkner sucker punches Boyle 3 times in the head before throwing more punches on the ground.

How in any way, shape, or form are these suspensions fair. Please be aware, I am not necessarily complaining that Hagelin or Shaw should have received less time off, I simply feel that the other two should have received much greater punishments.

A few theories I have heard and why they are wrong.

1.       History of Violence

For those who say history of violence should play a role in the decision making just take a look at Carkner. He already has a history of suspensions with the NHL and once again was an aggressor to physical assault on the ice. So the fact that he only received one game makes no sense at all. For those who say that violence shouldn’t play a role at all then what is the whole point of suspending someone one-three games for such violent hits if you will never add onto the suspensions for the history of violence. If Carkner and Webber find out their criminal records will be wiped clean after every suspension then the entire focus of player safety is garbage.

2.       Head injury

Some are saying that the major suspensions were worse because they resulted in head shots. All I will say is that Boyle was punched 4 times in the face and Zetterberg’s face was smashed into the boards. Do I really need to explain this to you?!?!?

3.       Resulting Injury

The biggest argument I have heard for why these suspensions actually make sense is that in the case of Hagelin, Alfredsson had to leave the game while Boyle and Zetterberg continued playing. This is the most ludicrous argument I have ever seen. First of all, to completely disprove the theory, Alex Smith suffered no major injury after being hit by Andrew Shaw. So any explanation of why he got 3 games makes no sense. Second, I feel the entire premise of the resulting injury deciding the suspension as idiotic. If McSorely slashed someone in the neck but that player miraculously was able to play the next day are you going to tell me that he should only get 1 game. Just because Zetterberg and Boyle have hard heads and strong faces doesn’t make what the opposing player did any less severe. So it doesn’t make sense how Hagelin and Shaw’s actions are deserving of harsher penalties than Weber and Carkner.

In Conclusion, I don’t understand the NHL’s ruling in these suspension cases and I hope for the sake of the NHL and its fanbase, Brendan Shanahan and the NHL figure out how to be consistent and fair in their suspensions. Let’s Go Rangers!