Devastating Hit By Chara after the Puck is Passed

I have high expectations for changes in the CBHL. What I noticed over the last few weeks is the number of marginal reckless hits on youth players well after they deliver or move the puck. In my sons case, the referee didn't see them. It is evident that youth ice hockey needs to step up its standards, add referees, improve penalities, and set a better zero tolerance tone. Many good things come out of the CBHL, it is time to fix the problems and improve safety. Check out this hit by Zdeno Chara... well after the puck is moved. Reckless.

It is called in French. But you can hear the tone. This type of stuff happens in youth ice hockey. It is not about INTENT. It is about bad reckless hockey that is not fully penalized to the degree it must be penalized. You can not let youth players get away with reckless play. Please address this. Ther must be zero tolerance for this type of hit, hits to the head, neck, and back. Remove them from the immediate game. Penalize appropriately with supsensions and require eductation.


Max Pacioretty stretchered off after devastating Zdeno Chara hit


By Greg Wyshynski

Max Pacioretty(notes) and Zdeno Chara(notes) have history, stemming from their postgame shoving match in January. With just under 16 seconds remaining in the second period on Tuesday night, their rivalry took a stunning and disturbing turn: Chara rode Pacioretty into the glass between the benches, leaving him motionless on the ice before he was taken off on a stretcher:







Chara was given a 5-minute major for interference and a game misconduct. The refs declared the period over. The Canadiens told the AP that Pacioretty was "conscious and moving his extremities when he was taken to the hospital for observation."


Scary, scary scene ... but was it intentional? Clearly, Pacioretty had nudged the puck ahead and Chara finished a check to take him out of the play. The interference call was correct; the major was based on the injury. Was it a case of reckless play by Chara or simply unfortunate geography for the hit on Pacioretty?