Crosby: "It was a cheap shot" - 1-15-09

Lining someone up for a hit and taking a run at someone are two entirely different things.  I didn't think the near-miss near the Caps blueline was "taking a run".

www.youtube.com/watch

I don't know if that's the same Youtube you posted (I can't view embedded youtubes at work), but you can clearly see Ovechkin lift his left leg in between Crosby's to initiate contact. That lifted Crosby's leg, and put him off-balance before any actual body-on-body contact (which really just turned out to be his elbow on Crosby's chest and chin). Not an 'honest' way to lay the body.

Also, did no one else notice Ovechkin trip the Pens defenseman at the side of the net before he scored that rebound goal? That really got me fired up.

He knows all the sly, under the radar, 'cheap' (?), moves and when to pull them off. That's what you need come playoff time. It adds up.

I suppose I've always equated 'taking a run' at someone with charging.  In the video I saw of the near miss I didn't see Ovechkin taking strides, his skates were on the ice and he was aiming towards Malkin, but when Malkin changed direction Ovechkin broke off.

The video of the Crosby hit looks clean to me as well, but it's tough to see what went on with the lower bodies.  I'd call the video inconclusive with regards to the cheapness of that hit.

On a more positive note, and I never thought I'd admit this, I've really enjoyed Matt Cooke's style of play this year.  When he and Ruutu were with Vancouver they were th two cheapest players I've ever seen.  This season I have yet to see Cook spear a goalie or butt-end anyone in the face.  (Two things I saw him do in Vancouver.)

Keep it up Matt!

I don't see how that a cheap shot on Crosby either...Maybe he should focus more on his game, grow up a little and play hockey.  I'm just not getting him much anymore...

JC65 - Matt Cooke appears to be one of the only guys that really cares on this team, and he works his butt off every night.  Everyone needs to look at his work ethic and mimic it.

well, if crosby thought it was cheap, then he thought it was cheap.  we hear him being interviewed all the time, and he dosen't throw out terms like that... well, ever.  there's a reason why everyone calls him the robot or the sidbot/interview bot 8.7  he's not going to cause any kind of controversy with what he says 'just because.'

I think the point of all of this is it's a rivalry.  I didn't see much dirty stuff from either side, just a hard-playing, mean-spirited rivalry.  Ovechkin can try and hit whoever he wants, it's all part of the game.

And as far as the interviews being less scripted lately, it's hard to be that way during a skid like this.

Also, anyone hear anything on the Talbot injury?  Seeing him run off of the ice like that was quite strange.

It wasn't a cheap shot. It was a clean hit. A cheap shot is when you punch an opponent in the testicles while a teammate holds him down. A cheap shot is also when you jump an opponent with his head down after a face off without warrant or warning. Syd should be an expert on cheap shots but his quote above shows he still has a lot to learn.

Obviously SombreroGuy has grown tired of looking @ the WNBA Attendance Champs banner @ MCI and decided to come to EN and troll

I never want to see a player get hurt but I am telling you one of these days he is going to take a run @ someone and they are goijng to stick an elbow in his face

I doubt you would be able to tell or it would make a difference

Of course he isn't the face of the NHL his head looks like a foot

I can't wait until they start their slide and they will have to mobilize an army of tow trucks to collect all of the band wagons that get abondoned on F street

I love the Pens, I love Sid, but to borrow a line from Mike and Mike, JUST SHUT UP!  Crosby sounds like a little baby, a whiner, complainer, you name it.  To  make it worse, this is our captain and team leader who should be more concerned with turning our season around than ranting about a hit in the media.  What's worse is that Crosby has the stones to say this was a dirty hit 2 weeks after his ringside knockout of Brett Maclean...THAT was a cheap shot.  Shut  up Sidney and go play hockey, we need you at your best now more than ever.

Again, let me preface all of this by saying I have been a huge Pens fan for years, but a little objectivity goes a long way...

Sombreroguy was right to point out those were cheap shots by Crosby.  Definitely questionable acts by a team captain and face of the new NHL.

Crosby is as equally as talented as Ovechkin, but in different ways.  If you enjoy the sport of hockey, you have to enjoy both Crosby and Ovechkin's games.

And as far as the hockey bandwagon goes, you have to look no further than the city of Pittsburgh for that.  I definitely wouldn't get on other teams' fans for that, because I think we all remember the attendance figures during the RIco Fata years.

I am not condoning what Sid said...it was not a cheap shot. But am I the only one who thinks AO needs to "man up" once and a while after he dishes out a hit? I notice that he is always looking to deliver the big hit, but runs away after he is confronted for his actions.  He is an absolutely electric to watch, yet I do not respect him nearly as much as I would if he would be willing to back up his actions more.  I don't buy the argument that superstars should not fight. In my mind AO should take a few lessons from Iginla.

i defend crosby to the death and show no shame for it, but i agree, the, uh, below the belt shot in atlanta wasn't right.

but i'm not totally convinced that the thing with the panther wasn't sid getting goaded into a penalty.  who knows though.

frustration makes us all do funny things.  he'll learn from this.

First of all, Ovechkin's 'trip' before he scored his first goal can't possibly have been a trip, because he contacted the puck and shot it on net.  If somebody's leg gets in the way, too bad.  He scored off the rebound of the first shot.

Second of all, Crosby circling around just so he could DIVE over Backstrom's leg with 5:50 left in the game is a great example if his lack of maturity.

Whining about being hit by Ovechkin after the game is another one.

Mugging the Panthers player and then lying about it is another one.

Hitting a man below the belt is another one.

Living in Lemieux's basement is another one.

Shall I continue?

Oneal

well said Oneal

At 1:27 of the youtube, Ovechkin starts to hit Crosby upward and Crosby's skates start to leave the ice, and less than a second later it appears that Ovechkin's left skate kicks Crosby's left skate out from under him.  It's difficult to tell because the camera angle loses Crosby's feet, but you can see Ovechkin's skate sweeping across and coming to a jarring halt as though he kicked something, right where Crosby's skate should have been.

I'm sorry to disagree guys, but I have to ask - have you ever played the game??

The leg sweep by OV was obvious on that video, and I guess I should save the DVR of last night's game and download some clips to youtube, as we observed at least 6 other leg sweeps throughout the game by WAS players... as the Mrs-to-be stated to me from her international soccer experience - "they've obviously been coached on the fine art of the leg sweep in WAS"...

To be fair, OV's "trip" looks like continuation as well to me... he did will his team to victory last night, which our "stars" don't seem to be able to muster... sadly...

As for Crosby's "jumping a guy" on the faceoff... again, never played the game?  It's obvious the center - can't recall who at this time - waited for the contact immediately off the faceoff... no one sits with their head down like that after a faceoff unless they know the contact is coming and they're waiting for the penalty... good, "clean" drawing of a penalty there in my opinion - he knew it was coming!

I don't consider that whining, someone asked him what he said to Ovechkin so he told them. I agree with Kharkins that Crosby's not one to throw that term around.

Ovechkin called Malkins hit cheap after the game so based on what a lot of you have said that must make him an immature whiner too.

www.tsn.ca/.../story

Great job as usual Seth.

As for the "cheap shot" you can see Ovechkin putting his thigh behind Crosby, almost looking as if he's trying to sit him in his lap (if that makes sense), and taking his legs out. I still don't know if I'd call it a cheap shot, and no I'm no fan of Ovie - I think he lacks some serious class - but I wouldn't exactly be happy if someone did that to me either. So in other words, I wouldn't say it is, but I wouldn't exactly say it wasn't either.

And before I get the comments on "OMG look what Crosby did" in reference to the fight and uh...the between the legs incident, I do believe he didn't just jump the guy and as for the latter, no it wasn't his brightest moment but you move on. People get angry and there's days I'd like to punch someone too. It was a mistake and he'll learn from it. How do you grow if you don't make mistakes?

I also think it's ridiculous people want to hang Crosby for a couple of things, but when other players do the same thing night after night it doesn't matter. It's only because he's the face of the NHL and if people aren't a Pens or Crosby fan they jump on whatever they can to hate on him since he doesn't make mistakes often.

I am a huge Pens and Crosby fan.  I'm not saying he should be "hanged", but you're right, he is under a microscope because he is the face of the NHL.  And I think that's justified.  The good comes with the bad.  If all of his accoloades and talents are promoted heavily, his mistakes and shortcomings will be treated the same way.

And whether people like it or not, Ovechkin is a world class talent.  Just as good as Crosby, but in different ways.

Jenna39,

Ovechkin called Malkin's hit a cheap shot after the game because it was...a penalty was called on it.  he cross-checked him.  I'm all for ragging on people for whining, but if a penalty is called, then even the refs thought it was cheap.  No penalty was called on Ovechkin's hit on Crosby, and from looking at replays, it looks clean to me.  Any foot contact seems to be incidental as the check is being made, but that's just my opinion.

@Miss Daburgh - Not trolling, just calling it like I see it and calling it like it is. Crosby is a great player and I agree he shouldn't be "hanged" but he should be called out if he goes to the media and whines. He has the C on his jersey, it past time to grow up.

That being said, I hope he gets healthy soon. Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin are good for the game, and should be battling it out for the scoring lead for the foreseeable future. We need these guys to stay healthy and stay on the ice.

s541.photobucket.com/.../longhornbabe7

Another angle.  Not great quality.  At the :24 mark, again you seek Ovechkin's left skate sweep in and then Crosby's left skate go flying in front of him, seemingly unrelated to the upper body check.  Slew-foot?

It may have been accidental.  I don't have a problem with Crosby's frustration over it though.

Slew foot, plain and simple.  While I think Ovie's talented, he's a dirty hack.  For that matter, so are a lot of their team.  I can't believe little mild-mannered Bruce Boudreau would teach his players to hit and maim.  Sorry, but that's the way it is.  And whomever it was that said that Ovie needs to "man up" is right.  The guy broke a man's jaw away from the ice, in a bar somewhere.  Until I see the guy grow up and take responsibility for his own stupidity and cheapshot hits on other players. I have no respect for him.  Good player?  Yes.  Good person?  NO WAY!

it was absolutely not a slew foot-- Ovechkin's left leg does not advance at all until Crosby is already down.  I'm neutral here, but Ovechkin is not cheap, only driven, and hits are a part of tough hockey.  Scott Stevens hit people and so does Ovechkin, and it is not cheap, just hard.  

Crosby is a great player but he has a reputation as a complainer, even a diver in the past, recently cheap on his own fights, and even in this article Pittsburgh's own writers are calling him on this one.  He also implied Steckel's hit was cheap.  Players go down all the time-- just get up and play-- this is what Sid should concentrate on.  But calling Ovechkin cheap is definitely off-base, when players and writers across the league are praising his love of hockey and drive.