Abdelkader hit on Sobotka

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Makes contact with the head didn't see anything malicious about was a headshot so deserves the 5 and game. Didn't leave feet till after contact people open your eyes.

Agreed.

It wasn't late (watch it realtime and not a slow mo gif). He didn't leave his feet BEFORE contact.

He does contact the head. He also however makes solid body contact. In the NHL it's legal to contact the head as long as you make a solid hit through the body as well. I don't know about international rules.

That being said, he comes from a long way off and took several strides before the hit. It looks like he's hustling back to make a play and then takes the opportunity to make the hit, but it gave him a whole lot of momentum and made this hit a vicious one.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Abdelkader comes from (more or less) behind, there was no way Sobotka could see him. IMO this isn't a "keep your head up" situation.

Besides that, Abdelkader comes late. I understand that he had good speed and a collision would have been hard to avoid but he elevated, the way he crashed into Sobotka, falling forward without contact to the ice, I would estimate it to be a jumping movement.

I just want to quote the IIHF rulebook.



In my opinion it's a reasonable call.

Edit: Charging was the call made by the official.

It's neither late nor is it from behind.

The issue is the distance and speed he generated prior to the hit.

 

[Yeti of the Flow]

It's a pretty ideal hit. If this were penalized in the NHL, it would be a joke. International hockey rules are not NHL rules, though.

 

[InsideOut*]

Are you ****ing kidding me? Sobotka is doing a no look shot while looking in Abdelkaders direction and then as soon as he releases he looks at the shot and doesn't protect himself.

Well here's one of the jokers I was talking about. So Sobotka isn't allowed to shoot the puck? And what does ''doesn't protect himself'' even mean. HE IS TAKING A SHOT ON GOAL. That's how hockey is played. You expect players to surrender into a protective position every time the puck leaves their stick, just in case someone's coming to hit them? And a ''no look shot''? Do you know what a ''no look shot'' is bro?
A no look shot is when you're shooting while not looking at the net. THAT'S a no look shot. Sobotka, here, is looking head up, straight at the net, while Abdelkader is checking him out from the side, sees him as vulnerable and hits him. You don't attack people while they're vulnerable. We're not in a jungle or a ****** zoo.

 

[NicoSB]

Are you ****ing kidding me? Sobotka is doing a no look shot while looking in Abdelkaders direction and then as soon as he releases he looks at the shot and doesn't protect himself.

I've reviewed this several times now and that wasn't a no look shot, take a shot at the video posted in the op, third replay. He isn't facing Abdelkader.

 

[InsideOut*]

The only thing dirty about this hit is the stupid ****ing angle. Professional broadcasters should be able to ****ing find the live angle shot of it and clearly see it was a clean it.

If he hits him in the chest, its cool. But he hits him HARD in the face, therefore it's dirty. It's as simple as that, don't make it complicated.

 

[Yeti of the Flow]

If he hits him in the chest, its cool. But he hits him HARD in the face, therefore it's dirty. It's as simple as that, don't make it complicated.

When someone's head is sticking out past the front of their body like that, the options are: To make contact as Abdelkader does, which is legal in the league he usually plays in. Or, limbo into the check.

Also, stop with the "dirty / clean" nonsense. It means nothing.

 

[Claypool]

Looked fine to me. Maybe 2 minutes for "leaving his feet" (even though he really didn't). His shoulders were down. Didn't hit him in the head. They gave Abdelkader a major after Sobotka wasn't getting up so it was a penalty as a result of an injury.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Just look at 1:24-1:27 of the video. Abdelkader clearly leaves his feet and hits the head first. Dirty hit.

This sums it up.

 

[Sheros expletives]

Looked fine to me. Maybe 2 minutes for "leaving his feet" (even though he really didn't). His shoulders were down. Didn't hit him in the head. They gave Abdelkader a major after Sobotka wasn't getting up so it was a penalty as a result of an injury.

Have you even seen the replay?

 

[FlashyG]

I think it was dirty because it was a head shot, but he left his feet only after the hit.

Given that this was his second infraction of the tournament I think he'll face a suspension, but I don't think the hit was as bad as the writer of that article seems to think.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Looked fine to me. Maybe 2 minutes for "leaving his feet" (even though he really didn't). His shoulders were down. Didn't hit him in the head. They gave Abdelkader a major after Sobotka wasn't getting up so it was a penalty as a result of an injury.

might want to check the glasses. it was a clear check to the head and dirty as hell.
cost the US the hockey game. ****ing idiot.

 

[Yeti of the Flow]

might want to check the glasses. it was a clear check to the head and dirty as hell.
cost the US the hockey game. ****ing idiot.

It clearly wasn't "dirty". Stop using buzzwords. Especially when they're wrong.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

This sums it up.

Inaccurately, yes it does.

Abdelkader didn't leave his feet before impact.

Regardless of the opinions formed I hope people are basing their conclusions from the video replay and not that Zapruder film gif of the hit.

 

[ChickenBurrito]

Abdelkader is a dirty player

 

[Claypool]

might want to check the glasses. it was a clear check to the head and dirty as hell.
cost the US the hockey game. ****ing idiot.

I looked again. Don't see any direct hit to the head.

[mod]

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Bad hit...bad play...cost us the game

 

[Jaan]

Before the tournament begun I questioned why they named this piece of trash their captain and he doesn't fail to deliver. Such a dirty hit by a useless player.

 

[Carandraug]

Im completely baffled how any sane person could be deeming such hit legal or clean, its the epitome and textbook intent to injure with straight to the head contact.

[mod]

 

[Eye of Ra]

"Clean hit" Who the hell says this? Don Cherry and his minions? Keep your head up boy, this is hockey!!!!

Disgusting hit. Exactly what NHL and every single ice-hockey league on this planet is trying to get rid of. Six games for Abdelkader.

swedish expert niklas wikegård thinks the hit is clean.

 

[Sher-Wood]

swedish expert niklas wikegård thinks the hit is clean.

Yes he does. Wikegård basicly said that Sobotka did see Abdelkader coming and did nothing to protect himself. I agree with him.

(hate your avatar)

 

[Sanderson]

It clearly wasn't "dirty". Stop using buzzwords. Especially when they're wrong.

Yes it was. Hit aimed at the head of an opponent who wasn't even looking at him, that's a game misconduct in the NHL as well. No idea what makes you think that something like this would be allowed in the NHL, the rules certainly don't agree with you.

He did not jump though, the left went up after contact. Doesn't change the fact that this is 5+game in every league.

 

[Franck]

swedish expert niklas wikegård thinks the hit is clean.

Well that's no surprise as Wikegård is Don Cherry's Swedish cousin.

 

[LeeIFBB]

It's pretty simple. In the NHL, depending on the player, that's a 2 minute penalty, or a double minor, or a 5 minute major, or no penalty and a fine, or a penalty and a suspension.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Pretty dirty. I thought he'd wised up since they gave him the C but it's good to know he's still an idiot.

What? He's had the C for what-a week or so? That's not going to all of a sudden fundamentally change a player like Abdelkader. He's a guy in the NHL who is extremely physical and plays on the edge. To me, I'm not surprised that was called in IIHF play but is probably borderline-maybe even clean in the NHL.