No one will ever mistake the Anaheim Ducks for a group of Lady Byng candidates. They're not afraid to impose their physical will, and they're willing to cross the line in order to accomplish it.The Detroit Red Wings aren't this type of team. They would prefer to skate their opponents into submission. Of course, this isn't stopping the Ducks from accusing their opponents of dirty hockey.
Anaheim accused Tomas Holmstrom of delivering a dirty elbow to the head of James Wisniewski after he had been injured by a puck to the chest Tuesday in Game 3. They said Johan Franzen cross-checked Scott Niedermayer in the back of the neck.Anyone who has watched any significant number of Ducks games knows this is similar to the pot calling the kettle black. Anaheim could fairly be labeled one of the league's dirtiest teams. One of their assistant captains was recently voted the league's dirtiest player by his peers.
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, who used to coach in Anaheim, isn't afraid to speak the truth.
"From my perspective, come on, it's like a rodeo after every whistle," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "So there could be a penalty after every single whistle. If you think Homer was saying, 'That guy got hurt on the play and now I'm going to elbow him in the head?' Come on. That's not how hockey is.For his part, Holmstrom denies any wrongdoing with regard to Wisniewski.
"Let's play the game, let's play hard. It's a hard series. There's lots of skin flying around out there. It's entertaining."
"I didn't know that I hit him at all,'' Holmstrom said. "I didn't see him, I had no idea he was behind me. I had two guys on my back. Unfortunately, he had his face there.''Let's go to the videotape.
Clearly, Holmstrom is fighting for position. However, I don't buy for one second that he didn't know Wisniewski was there.
In this single case, the Ducks do have an argument. Of course, that doesn't make the Wings a dirty team.
That's Anaheim's job.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-07-2009 @ 2:16PM
John said...
Oh come on Bruce, how can you say Homer knew he was there, he was BEHIND him, Homer was trying to get position on the other D-man and caught Wisniewski with an errant elbow.
Now to Anaheim whining about the "dirty" Wings. STFU. The Ducks commit more dirty plays after every single whistle than the Wings do in an entire game. They won Game 3 (sort of) and were still trying to take our players out after the game was over. I hope Anaheim gets their wish, and the refs start calling every cheap shot, the Wings will be on a 5-3 for the entire game.
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5-07-2009 @ 3:09PM
Earl Sleek said...
A pretty strong headline for a post that neglects to include any quotes from any Anaheim players or employees.
Even when clicking through to the Detroit blog post, there seemingly is only one instance of any Anaheim player using the term "dirty", and all Ryan Whitney said was the hit "looked dirty".
But I guess drama wins again.
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5-07-2009 @ 7:38PM
Steel Wheel said...
Hello kettle, you're black
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5-13-2009 @ 2:27AM
dom.shuttz said...
game 6....the ducks ARE THE CHEAPEST TEAM IN THE NHL. every game that they have won they grab all the detroit players on the ice and fight. getzlaf hooks hossa in the groin after the game. neidemeyer cross checks holmstrom in the face after the whistle, then elbows datsyul after the game. a ducks teamate grabs rafalski and perry punches him. all cheap stuff. and not to mention the ref blew the whistle everytime the puck touched hiller without him covering up the puck. ozzie did the same thing and the ref would just stand there till osgood held his hand in the air. probably same ref who screwed detroit in game 3
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