Silver Nuggets: Nick Foligno should not have received any penalty
Like most Sens fans, seeing Dion Phaneuf airborne after a Nick Foligno had me very, very happy. Then seeing the Maple Leafs captain go all caveman to fight Foligno and then sitting in the penalty box for Ottawa's equaliser was even sweeter. But should Foligno have received a penalty at all? From the NHL rules (the emphasis is mine):
Clipping is the act of throwing the body, from any direction, across or below the knees of an opponent.
A player may not deliver a check in a "clipping" manner, nor lower his own body position to deliver a check on or below an opponent's knees.
Let's compare it to the hit by Brad Marchand on Sami Salo, here is a screen capture from Geoff Cheek.
There is Nick Foligno NOT hitting Phaneuf's knees, the contact is around the thighs/waist area, but certainly above the knees. By the NHL's rules, that's not clipping. Brad Marchand you can see however, is going for the knees.
Case closed.
Last game
- Game recap from last night's 3-2 win over Toronto. (Silver Seven, Ottawa Sun, Senators Extra, Pension Plan Puppets)
- Post-game audio from Paul MacLean. (Ottawa Senators)
- Some ugly stats from last night. (Corsi/Fenwick, Scoring Chances)
- Erik Karlsson has known Andre Petersson since 2002. Karlsson is also a fan of Paul MacLean's moustache. (Ottawa Sun)
- The last time Ottawa came to Toronto was in November and the Senators entered the game at 7-9-1, while the Leafs were 10-5-1, six points behind Toronto (Bryan Murray says 10 but we will excuse his arithmetic). Since then, Ottawa has gone 19-7-5 while Toronto has gone 12-13-4, pulling the Senators nine points ahead of Toronto. (Toronto Sun)
- Daniel Alfredsson likes the atmosphere and intensity of playing at the Air Canada Centre. The booing probably helps him. (Ottawa Citizen)
- Don Brennan talks about watching TV in a hotel washroom and thinks both Ottawa and Toronto will make the playoffs. (Ottawa Sun)
- Erik Karlsson has been on the ice for 80 Ottawa's 144 goals. That's the highest in the NHL, Duncan Keith is second at 73. Jason Spezza is fourth (and first among forwards) at 70. Karlsson has also been on the ice for 54 goals against Ottawa, 12th most in the NHL. (NHL)
- Binghamton has had a rough season so far, but here are five positive things from their season. (Press & Sun-Bulletin)
- Peter Regin hasn't decided on surgery yet, but Bryan Murray says he is likely done for the season. (Ian Mendes)
- Daniel Alfredsson considers his good friend Mats Sundin a legend after hearing Sundin's jersey will be lifted to the rafters in Toronto. (Toronto Sun)
- The 2008 draft that Ottawa was a pretty great draft year for the Sens. In addition to Erik Karlsson and Zack Smith, Ottawa also drafted Andre Petersson, Mark Borowiecki and Patrick Wiercioch. (Ottawa Senators)
- The captains for the all-star game will be Daniel Alfredsson and Zdeno Chara. Phil Kessel picked last again then? (NHL)