Please give us your physics masterlesson and explain to us how, after being hit, Bichel's leg doesn't start accelerating upwards immediately, but rather in the middle of the movement?
After Zapruder’ing the video a few times, here’s what I think happened:
- McCarron shoves Bichel in a way that causes his torso to move forward, which shifts his balance to his left leg. That left leg becomes a short of fulcrum, with his body pivoting over the top of it.
- Take a moment to stand up and plant your left leg, using it as a fulcrum. Now lean forward. Note what happens to your right leg.
- To this point, it’s all ordinary hockey physics. But a split-second later, Bichel’s forward momentum causes his left leg to de-plant from the ice. There is no longer a fulcrum to serve as a center of balance. He’s now in “rag doll” mode, flying through the air. As a result, that right leg experiences a slight upward change in angle and velocity.
- Due to the torsion still happening with his torso, Bichel’s skate glances ever so slightly against McCarron’s elbow, rides up his arm, and follows the arc over his shoulder. This isn’t because of upward momentum, but rather a twisting/sideways momentum which causes the skate to find a leftward path of least resistance.
- By the time the skate reaches the top of McCarron’s shoulder, gravity has taken hold and begin to pull Bichel’s upper body sharply downward, which carries the skate in a sudden downward motion across the side of McCarron’s neck.
It’s a weird sequence but I do think it’s explainable in terms of pure physics, with no engagement on Bichel’s part:
1) Fulcrum stage - leg up
2) Rag doll stage - leg floating/twisting to the side
3) Gravity stage - leg down