Toropchenko kneeing on Cooley – Tough Call Recommendation
Alexey Toropchenko was issued a major penalty and game misconduct for kneeing on Logan Cooley. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety decided contact was the result of a natural motion and chose not to suspend. I disagree.
Look at the slow motion and screen cap just before impact, What looks more unnatural , Toropechenko position or Cooley's dragging his left leg and facial expression desperate to dodge the hit at the last second. You can see Cooley knows he's about to get lit up and it trying to get hit upper body out of the way. I appreciate your analysis here, but I think that factored into the situation to not suspend and leave it as a major penality and game misconduct (which does have potential ramifications if the behavior repeats)
An interesting revelation about this particular play is that despite Cooley’s over the top writhing in pain like his entire knee had been shattered or shredded, it turns out the Extent of Cooley’s actual injury from this play is a simple bruise. If you watch the immediate aftermath of the play while Cooley is lying on the ice you can see him stop curdling in pain briefly and look up as a soccer or basketball player who is diving would do and then continues reacting like his knee is separated from the rest of his body. Cooley sold it and the refs were fooled like gullible idiots, but karma has a way of working everything out as the Mammoth didn’t score on the ensuing 5 minute powerplay and got shutout 1 to nothing in the end.
Just a totally idiotic take. Toropchenko’s left leg is extended in a normal skating motion well before the impact. And Toropchenko’s motion actually pulls his leg BACK slightly just before the collision.
Not only should there NOT be a suspension, it shouldn’t have even been a penalty in the first place!
This isn’t as bad as the NHL has made it. It’s literally more accidental than purposeful. I’d still call a penalty as a ref, but I would have suspended him.
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Look at the slow motion and screen cap just before impact, What looks more unnatural , Toropechenko position or Cooley's dragging his left leg and facial expression desperate to dodge the hit at the last second. You can see Cooley knows he's about to get lit up and it trying to get hit upper body out of the way. I appreciate your analysis here, but I think that factored into the situation to not suspend and leave it as a major penality and game misconduct (which does have potential ramifications if the behavior repeats)
That's called a minor penalty
An interesting revelation about this particular play is that despite Cooley’s over the top writhing in pain like his entire knee had been shattered or shredded, it turns out the Extent of Cooley’s actual injury from this play is a simple bruise. If you watch the immediate aftermath of the play while Cooley is lying on the ice you can see him stop curdling in pain briefly and look up as a soccer or basketball player who is diving would do and then continues reacting like his knee is separated from the rest of his body. Cooley sold it and the refs were fooled like gullible idiots, but karma has a way of working everything out as the Mammoth didn’t score on the ensuing 5 minute powerplay and got shutout 1 to nothing in the end.
Looks like Torps knee hit Cooley's thigh. Big deal.
Just a totally idiotic take. Toropchenko’s left leg is extended in a normal skating motion well before the impact. And Toropchenko’s motion actually pulls his leg BACK slightly just before the collision.
Not only should there NOT be a suspension, it shouldn’t have even been a penalty in the first place!
This isn’t as bad as the NHL has made it. It’s literally more accidental than purposeful. I’d still call a penalty as a ref, but I would have suspended him.
Never skated huh?