Austin Watson fires a slapshot at Jeremy Lauzon at the end of the game

[AtlantaWhaler]

Not on purpose? There was like 5 seconds left. 100% on purpose.

Hitting the player was on purpose? Doubt it...he was just being stupid and frustrated, but not trying to hit any player.

 

[EquivalentStay]

Hitting the player was on purpose? Doubt it...he was just being stupid and frustrated, but not trying to hit any player.

Why rip a slapshot up the middle with 5 seconds left (with a piece of crap knuckledragger on the ice by the way in Watson) then? You know why.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

You're responsible for where you shoot the puck, so Watson takes blame and responsibility for that.

Having said that...players on the losing team shoot the puck towards the net at the end of the game, in frustration or otherwise, all the time in this game, especially if it looks like there isn't much in the way. If he lost sight of Lauzon being there, again, he takes responsibility for that, it's not an excuse to lose sight of somebody. But I hardly imagine he was doing that in an intentionally dirty manner, so spare the pearl clutching. What he tried to do happens at the end of NHL games every night.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Why rip a slapshot up the middle with 5 seconds left (with a piece of crap knuckledragger on the ice by the way in Watson) then? You know why.

To quote my own post:

he was just being stupid and frustrated

Edit...Post above this one explains nicely

 

[Sheppy]

Before watching, was expecting a shot towards the net, which it was. You see one of these at the end of most games. Of course, it being 5-1, that's unnecessary. On the other hand, Lauzon could just not have stood in between the puck and the goal. If he was standing near the boards and the shot was still fired directly at him, then there would be a much stronger case for this being intentional. As is, this probably can be labeled an accident.

There's no way you legitimately typed this out and still hit "post reply" after. Give your head a shake.

 

[Divine]

Hitting the player was on purpose? Doubt it...he was just being stupid and frustrated, but not trying to hit any player.

I think his intention was to hit the player, the only surprising part is the puck went where he wanted it to go given his skill set.

He probably thought I’ll aim at the player, miss, and send a message. To his surprise, he hit the player. The intention was to hit the player, but he struggles to hit the net - so the only unintentional part of this is the fact the puck went where he wanted it to go, which usually doesn’t happen.

Is Austin Watson known to take slapshots at the end of a blowout game in frustration being a 4th line enforcer? Can we find another video where Tampa has their forth line enforcer averaging 6 mins a game out at the end of the game and he starts taking slap shots at the net in the end of the game in frustration?

 

[Guttersniped]

Surprised there wasn't a thread made about this already, just saw it on the morning highlights. I don't know the exact rules on this, but is this suspension worthy ? There should be some sort of disciplinary action for that. That's about as dirty as it gets. Literally 1 second left, it's a 5-1 game and you fire a slapshot straight at your opponent ? Lauzon limped off, hopefully it's not a serious injury. Not sure what Watson is even thinking there, frustration ?

I’d give most players the benefit of the doubt in terms of how intentional that was, but Watson is a walking bag of trash in human form, so he probably thought shooting the puck at a guy was a good idea.

But if he didn’t mean to hit him then he did something idiotically reckless, but “Idiotically Reckless” is basically Watson’s brand.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Reminds me of that scumbag Alfredsson one.

 

[AvroArrow]

Before watching, was expecting a shot towards the net, which it was. You see one of these at the end of most games. Of course, it being 5-1, that's unnecessary. On the other hand, Lauzon could just not have stood in between the puck and the goal. If he was standing near the boards and the shot was still fired directly at him, then there would be a much stronger case for this being intentional. As is, this probably can be labeled an accident.

"A shot towards the net" from his own end of the ice, with 1.5 seconds left and the score is 5-1.

You literally never see these at the end of any game.

Where else would you like Lauzon to stand when there's 1.5 seconds left in the game ?

 

[Neil Racki]

Dick move IMO

 

[Guttersniped]

Before watching, was expecting a shot towards the net, which it was. You see one of these at the end of most games. Of course, it being 5-1, that's unnecessary. On the other hand, Lauzon could just not have stood in between the puck and the goal. If he was standing near the boards and the shot was still fired directly at him, then there would be a much stronger case for this being intentional. As is, this probably can be labeled an accident.

Why would Lauzon be standing by the boards during the last seconds of a game instead of playing defense? Your victim blaming doesn’t even make sense in terms of game play.

The case for him recklessly and intentionally shooting a puck at directly at Lauzon is that he did that very thing.

That Lauzon didn’t teleport to the boards (to avoid the puck?) doesn’t matter considering the context. Watson is in the defensive zone, the game is over and his team lost 1-5. He’s responsible for his behavior and decision making.

 

[Sheppy]

"A shot towards the net" from his own end of the ice, with 1.5 seconds left and the score is 5-1.

You literally never see these at the end of any game.

Where else would you like Lauzon to stand when there's 1.5 seconds left in the game ?

He should have jumped the boards and climbed into the 14th row.

 

[EquivalentStay]

But I hardly imagine he was doing that in an intentionally dirty manner, so spare the pearl clutching. What he tried to do happens at the end of NHL games every night.

Show me examples of someone bombing a slapshot up the middle, down four goals with a few seconds left then. You won't cause it "doesn't happen at the end of NHL games every night"

 

[UrbanImpact]

Before watching, was expecting a shot towards the net, which it was. You see one of these at the end of most games. Of course, it being 5-1, that's unnecessary. On the other hand, Lauzon could just not have stood in between the puck and the goal. If he was standing near the boards and the shot was still fired directly at him, then there would be a much stronger case for this being intentional. As is, this probably can be labeled an accident.

FYI, Watson was already on tilt, he got into a fight just minutes before this incident. He was looking to hurt someone with that slapper.

 

[thefutures]

Not good character wit this guy. No benefit of the doubt to be given

 

[UrbanImpact]

Games out of reach:

NBA: hold ball, no shot on last possession

NFL: kneel down, victory formation

Austin Watson : Its Knuckle Puck time

 

[Rockomax]

Shades of Alfredsson on Neidermayer. Great move.

Strong hockey play

 

[EdJovanovski]

All this because his drunken belligerent wife was going nuts and got them kicked out of a party and he tried putting her inside the car to calm her down? This is a nothing burger just like that “domestic abuse” which she vehemently opposes happened

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Bro was lucky he didn't get a stick to the head after that clown move. It would have cost Nashville only 5k amd no suspension.

Seriously, when are we gonna start holding guys accountable for their actions? McSorely was an accident, Bertuzzi really didn’t mean to hurt Moore that bad- obviously this ain’t on that level, but it could have an unfortunate outcome that just adds nothing to this particular game or the sport overall. So f*** Watson, the game doesn’t need him, especially if he comes with shit like this- sit him for 3+ games. No one cares, I promise you.

 

[Sheppy]

All this because his drunken belligerent wife was going nuts and got them kicked out of a party and he tried putting her inside the car to calm her down? This is a nothing burger just like that “domestic abuse” which she vehemently opposes happened

Nah. All this because he took a slapshot at an opposing teams player down by a handful of goals with 5 seconds left on the clock that was clearly intentional.

Go off.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Nah. All this because he took a slapshot at an opposing teams player down by a handful of goals with 5 seconds left on the clock that was clearly intentional.

Go off.

It looked like a run of the mill play with an unfortunate result, you can find countless videos of players taking slapshots like that at the end of a game. People are saying they’re not giving the benefit of the doubt specifically because of these character issues, alluding to the domestic violence thing that ended up being bunk. I have a hard time believing an NHL player would purposely take a slapshot at a guys face because he’s angry they lost

 

[Sheppy]

It looked like a run of the mill play with an unfortunate result, you can find countless videos of players taking slapshots like that at the end of a game. People are saying they’re not giving the benefit of the doubt specifically because of these character issues, alluding to the domestic violence thing that ended up being bunk. I have a hard time believing an NHL player would purposely take a slapshot at a guys face because he’s angry they lost

Ok, I'll bite. "Run of the mill play"

Whats the play?

 

[AvroArrow]

All this because his drunken belligerent wife was going nuts and got them kicked out of a party and he tried putting her inside the car to calm her down? This is a nothing burger just like that “domestic abuse” which she vehemently opposes happened

Horrible post lol. Imagine it was a star player like McDavid/Mackinnon etc. getting hit instead of Lauzon, people would be going off.

It looked like a run of the mill play with an unfortunate result, you can find countless videos of players taking slapshots like that at the end of a game. People are saying they’re not giving the benefit of the doubt specifically because of these character issues, alluding to the domestic violence thing that ended up being bunk. I have a hard time believing an NHL player would purposely take a slapshot at a guys face because he’s angry they lost

Please share some links of players taking slap shots from their own half of the ice, with an opposing player directly in front of him, in the dying seconds of a game that is completely out of reach

 

[Score08]

Hard to say he meant to drill him, but a dumb decision nonetheless.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I guess he realized unless he's fighting another woman, it's better to pull crap like this because he loses every fight in the NHL.