Ducks' Mike Brown Levels Jiri Hudler, Faces Suspension

There has been a lot of talk about hits to the head in the NHL playoffs so far. Washington's Donald Brashear got a controversial six-game suspension for his shot high on Ranger Blair Betts during Game 6 of their series.

Friday night, Anaheim and Detroit met to open their Western Conference semifinal series. During the first period, the intensity got cranked up big-time on a late and high hit by Anaheim's Mike Brown on Red Wing forward Jiri Hudler in Detroit's 3-2 win.

Lidstrom's Late Goal Breaks Close Game
Detroit leads series, 1-0 | Next Game: Sunday @ DET, 2 PM ET

Before we discuss Brown's possible (possible?) suspension, let's take a look at the video.

The NHL was quick to announce Brown's ejection.

Hudler passed the puck and was defenseless when Brown hit him, appearing to land an elbow to the head during the first period on Friday night.

The game was delayed briefly while Hudler was helped off the ice and blood was scraped off it. A towel was pressed against a big cut above Hudler's left eye. Hudler returned to the game in the second period.

Brown was given a major penalty for interference, leading to Detroit's tying goal. He also earned a game misconduct that ended his night.

The five-minute major for interference is something not a lot of people know about, but we got the scoop earlier in the season, when Adam Gretz discussed officiating with NHL officiating czar Stephen Walkom.

There's no reason to think we'll be seeing Brown anytime soon. He did nothing to make his hit look less vicious than Brashear's, and while I still don't like the suspension Brashear got, you have to be fair about things like this once you set a precedent.

Not surprisingly, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle is not at all pleased with the major being assessed to Brown. He vented a bit at his postgame press conference.

"I'm sure they're gonna say it was dirty, but this a game that's played and physical contact is allowed. We timed the hit from the time that he passed the puck until Mike Brown made contact with him; there wasn't a second that went off the clock. It was 8:36 and the clock did not move by the time he made contact. He didn't hit him with his elbow, he hit him with his shoulder, and Hudler was admiring his pass. They can say all they want about a dirty hit, but that's not a dirty hit in hockey. You're allowed to take the body in this game."

Carlyle stopped short of the tired, old "Keep your head up" argument. While that saying has some merit to it, the problem is that it's too often used to defend unnecessary hits to the head. That's the case here. Brown went right for Hudler's head, apparently failing to read any of the news stories about headshots in the playoffs so far.

This isn't about "wussifying" the playoffs, as Mike Milbury would say. Instead, this is about protecting the players from unnecessary shots to the head.

Hudler Suffers Bloody Blow

Detroit Red Wings' Jiri Hudler is attended to by a team trainer after being checked by Anaheim Ducks' Mike Brown during the first period of Game 1 of their Western Conference NHL hockey semifinals game in Detroit, Michigan, May 1, 2009.

Rebecca Cook, Reuters

Detroit Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler, of the Czech Republic, bleeds from a cut to his head after being hit by Anaheim Ducks forward Mike Brown in the first period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Western Conference semifinals in Detroit, Friday, May 1, 2009. Ducks' Brown received a 10 minute Game Misconduct penalty and a 5 minute Interference penalty on the play.

Paul Sancya, AP

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

5-01-2009 @ 10:14PM

John said...

Mike Brown is a dirtbag.

5-01-2009 @ 10:16PM

hifrings said...

Clean hit. Typical east coast officiating bias. The truth is, if you can't take the hits, don't play the game. We can only hope that the sh*thole city of Detroit is decimated.

5-02-2009 @ 6:24AM

jckzamo said...

go fuk your self

5-03-2009 @ 9:42PM

fastjimmy3 said...

Clen hit??? are you a freaking moron or what? A blindsided elbow you idiot, which will be addressed I promise you that...just ask Claude.....

5-02-2009 @ 11:16PM

mattisgod said...

You're a fucking moron, clean hit my ass. That was a hit where he was trying to injure the player. Get the hell out of here.

5-01-2009 @ 10:19PM

WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

5-01-2009 @ 10:45PM

rube810 said...

East coach officiating,the hockey game was played in Detroit,Micigian. For your information Micigian, is located in the upper mid west next to the Canadian border.

5-01-2009 @ 10:56PM

espadon58 said...

Great clean hit,look where you going buddy,like the Brashear hit. The nhl is turning like a sissy league,no more hard hiting,we may scare the euro players.......

5-01-2009 @ 11:15PM

Barefoot said...

Hockey is a contact sport.

5-01-2009 @ 11:21PM

jm27431111 said...

Carlyle is right rather than keep his head up he choose to admire his pass and got nailed....oh how i long for the old days

w102046 said...

When you don't have the talent, the cheap hits happen. Look for more of the same on Sunday, with the same results. Get the broom out, Detroit in 4. Red rules

5-01-2009 @ 11:52PM

Clean as dirt. California dirt.

5-01-2009 @ 11:59PM

Brian said...

The Wing haters will try to claim it as a clean hit. It wasn't. There is a difference between playing good clean hockey and just simply playing to hurt someone. If you want that, then switch to boxing.
Obviously the Ducks coach knows his team can't stack up against the depth of Detroit so he's going to promote this kind of crap to make up for his teams lack of talent.
Brown should be suspended and so should Carlisle for defending this dirty play. It just goes to show he has the mental capacity of a wet dish rag.

5-02-2009 @ 12:04AM

Ibarra30 said...

It was a dirty hit you are all dumb if you think it was clean, yes huddler should have been looking around after the pass, but thatisnt the point, the fact that it was a head shot is why it was dirty had he hit him lower there would have been no ejection. All you dissing the wings are just sore losers and jealous just cuz they are so dominating

5-02-2009 @ 12:06AM

rwing said...

It should be clear to anyone that the hit to Hudler was a dirty, vicious and scum-bag elbow to the head...very similar to the hit Brashear put on Betts. He had to see that Hudler HAD ALREADY PASSED THE PUCK, and he appeared to go OUT OF HIS WAY to clobbler him. Totally unnecessary, COWARDLY and shows NO CLASS!!!

5-02-2009 @ 12:16AM

qongquest said...

it depends on the angle you see the hit. both versus and hockey night in canada were babbling that it appeared to be a clean hit. from one angle it looked like a clean hit, hudler was looking down, from another angle it looked like brown put his elbow into hudler's head. the hockey gods in toronto will make a ruling. lets see what they say.

5-02-2009 @ 1:02AM

These scum-bags should be dealt with APPROPRIATELY by the League, before we have another Steve Young incident. I would feel the SAME WAY about this hit, even if it was a Red Wing player who dished it out. But the Wings don't play like that, and perhaps that is why they have been among the NHL's elite teams over the past decade or so. I agree with Brian...if you want to play good clean hockey, let's do it with respect for each other. If you don't, then take up boxing.