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Marcel Goc out 2-4 weeks; Should Nicklas Backstrom be suspended for boarding hit?

marcelgocout

James O’Brien

Sometimes conspiracy theories make the tin foil hat wearing masses look like ... well, they’re wearing tin foil hats. Yet sometimes, there seems to be a little fire to go with that smoke.

Perhaps Nashville Predators fans and writers have a point when it comes to their team being on the short end of the stick when it comes to suspension-worthy hits. During their heated first round series in the 2010 playoffs, Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa plowed Dan Hamhuis into the boards and received a penalty, but did not face a suspension. Now it seems like another Predator will suffer from the repercussions of a boarding hit without the league punishing the culprit, as Dirk Hoag of On the Forecheck points out that Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom should probably face a suspension for his boarding hit on Marcel Goc.

Goc reportedly will miss 2-4 weeks because of injuries stemming from the hit, which you can see in this video.
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The hit actually reminds me quite a bit of Alex Ovechkin’s controversial boarding check on Brian Campbell from last season, as Backstrom hit Goc from behind with the resulting impact being unexpectedly severe. Hoag points out that Susan Slusser of NHL Fanhouse caught up with Predators forward Steve Sullivan, who said he hopes that the league takes a look at the hit.

“I absolutely hope the league takes a look,” Sullivan said by phone. “We all watched video at the start of the year about the kinds of hits we’re trying to avoid.”

Sullivan said he didn’t believe that Backstrom was trying to intentionally deliver a hit while Goc was in a vulnerable position, but, he said, “We’ve got to clean this up. With something like that, there’s no way to protect yourself.”


So, after reading some of the reactions and taking a look at the video, what do you think? Should Backstrom be fined, fined and suspended or given no punishment for his hit on Goc? Vote in the poll below.

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