On Thursday, April 3rd, the Toronto Maple Leafs were host to the Ottawa Senators in one of the last games of the season for both teams. The Maple Leafs tried to act as spoilers, attempting to upset Ottawa's chances to clinch a playoff spot for the 2008 postseason.
However, after the Sens took a 2-1 lead, Toronto's Mark Bell slammed Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson viciously to the head.
Although I'm not disputing that the hit was clean, there was little doubt that Bell's intent was anything but malicious. At that point, the Leafs were losing the game and Bell, who has had an injury riddled season, simply wanted to leave a lasting impression and did so in a negative manner.
If that wasn't bad enough, a sick and twisted side of the Toronto fan base was revealed as the Ottawa captain lay motionless on the ice. The Air Canada Center erupted into cheers when it was apparent that Alfredsson was injured. To make matters worse, the fans booed when Alfredsson got up several minutes later and skated off the ice unassisted.
As a hockey fan, I was disgusted. As an Ottawa fan I was outraged. No one can possibly wish for a player to be seriously injured in a hockey game. So why the cheering and booing? The ACC has seating for roughly 18,819 fans and last night most of those fans in blue and white exposed their true colours as classless hockey fans.
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6 months ago
people cheered because they saw a good hockey hit...no one, not even me who hates alfredsson, wants to see anyone get injured...it's not like he was laying in a pool of his own blood...it was a clean hockey hit, and a senator player would have done to a leaf had he been skating through the zone with his head down...
from 6 months ago
Navin, the cheering started 10 seconds after Alfie stopped moving.
6 months ago
Cody, I think that you have to take your heart off of your sleeve for one second. You are writing like a 'rabid Senator's fan' who is about to be eliminated ... either by Philadelphia and not even make the playoffs or by an un...oops ..expected (now) 1st round playoff loss.
The Leaf fans obviously hate Alfredsson...he is not a bad player, but he will end up like a Leafs Mats Sundin...not a very good leader! Do you remember a few years back when Sundin got the one game suspension for throwing his busted stick into the stands @ the ACC? If you did not... let me re-fresh your mind. - Your 'hero' - Alfredsson (after that incident) .. the next time in Toronto... broke his stick and made a mock - fake toss into the seats @ the ACC. The ACC went ballistic and your 'boy..toy' Daniel went un-penalized.
Well I'll tell you something Cody.. if you ever played 'the game' like I have.. an unwritten rule in 'puck' is to NOT show-up the other teams Captain, let alone their best player.. especially on their home ice.
Do you also recall when Daniel knocked Tucker out with what many recall as a cheap hit from behind a few years back in the playoffs? One of the series in which the Maple Leafs made the Senators look like the '67's... oops sorry!
Cody.. basically what I am saying is the Leaf nation are just as rabid and annoying as any fans in the league and unfortunately they really do not like your 'boy toy' Daniel A. - So what happened to him last night @ the 'shoulder' of one Mark Bell was simple 'payback' for being a 'sore spot' in Leaf Nation history.
So bro, get over it ..do some 'deep breathing' and maybe even pilates and chill out. Everyone in Leaf Nation knew that Daniel had it coming for 'mocking' Sundin and payback - my friend is a bitch!
Have a nice day and I hope you make the playoffs only to be disappointed (again) in the next 10 days.
Deep Breathing..my friend..it's all good!
P.S. Do you start Emery or the other bald headed guy in net? Tough call - bro!
from 6 months ago
You think mocking Sundin's bad decision of throwing his sticks into a crowd of fans justifies head-hunting? Please...
And it's not the hit I'm contesting. I agreed it was a clean hockey hit. I've performed a few myself playing College Hockey (but never against the opposing team's star player).
It was the conduct of the fans that really got to me.
6 months ago
Mark if Cody was writing like a 'rabid Senator's fan' - what do you think you’re writing like?? A 'rabid Maple Leafs fan'? – he’s wearing his heart on his sleeve no more or less than you.
It is disgusting that the fans cheered when Alfredsson got hurt - no class. But what do expect from Maple Leaf fans? Not make it to the play offs 3 years in a row must be frustrating with a need to take it out on others. I guess Leafs fans must be doing some 'deep breathing and maybe even some pilates'.
Funny you mention goaltending- wasn't it the Leaf that let in 8 goals against the Senators? And we'll see who gets taken out in the first round.
from 6 months ago
Yes, Cody the Leafs bite. I think that I had too much 'talk radio' into me when I posted this. I had the game and and was not paying attention to the reaction of the fans. That was classless on their part; however, Alfy is still 'public enemy # 1' in T.O. and he should keep his head-up. You learn that as soon as you start playing contact peewee hockey!
Your Sens are toast without goaltending! We are breathing just fine now..are expectations are not that high. It must be tough being a Sens fan.. with all those rollercoaster rides this season!
6 months ago
What did you expect?
This is the same Alfie that mocked Sundin. The Same Alfie that took out Tucker and scored the winning goal in a playoff game. The same Alfie that shot the puck at Neidermayer.
Crusty the Clown isn't exactly Captain Class himself.
But more importantly, he is the captian of their arch rival.
Leaf fans had every right to do boo, especially since it was a just a clean, hard, hockey hit. Just ask Bob McKenzie, but what does he know?
6 months ago
Uhh, does no one get that Cody believed that the hit was clean?
Alfredsson didn't take out Tucker, score, and then celebrate on top of him. He hit him, and he continued to play. Would you expect him to stop and tend to Tucker's wounds? "Oh, DARCY, are you okay, babe?" No, if you've ever played, you know you did something wrong, you hope to God you don't get called, and you keep playing. Alfredsson did that, and he happened to score a goal; lucky him.
If you throw your stick into the crowd, you deserve to get mocked -- end of story.
"Leaf fans had every right to do boo, especially since it was a just a clean, hard, hockey hit." - Ted
Hahaha, "clean, hard, hockey hits" give you the right to boo?? What if Neil did the same thing to Sundin, and Sundin left on a stretcher, I mean -- it's a clean hit, Ottawa fans have an apparent RIGHT to boo Sundin as he's wheeled away and possibly pour some beer on to his stretcher, right? I mean, it was a clean hit -- it's their right to boo. Idiot. Absolutely embarrassing thing to say.
I have no problem with Alfredsson getting boo'd whenever he touches the puck, or scores, etc. But there's a line. You don't CHEER when a guy has a potentially serious injury; doesn't matter who it is. An uproar when the hit happens is fine, but when the guy crawls on his hands and knees and then collapses and then ANOTHER uproar goes up when the fans realize who it is; that's just trashy. Toronto fans should essentially be grouped in with Philadelphia and Montreal fans -- classless and stupid. Don't seem to understand the game and have zero etiquette when it comes to being a hockey fan. Given there's not a ton of it to have, but somehow, fans can be that moronic.
Sure, even I can admit Alfredsson has done some cheap stuff in the past -- boo him at the time, not when he gets injured. I mean, really -- do you HONESTLY think that's a classy, or even REASONABLE thing to do?
I guess I have the right to cheer if you get hit by a car, as long as it wasn't the drivers fault.
6 months ago
Yeah, I'm a Leafs fan, but I am level headed enough to have a sensible hockey debate and I am sorry Cody but the hit was clean.
The fans really shouldn't have cheered as long as they did after realizing he was hurt. However, if you go back and watch the Brian Campbell/RJ Umberger hit, you will notice the Buffalo fans Cheered. If you rewind any Scott Stevens hit on home ice, you will hear the fans erupt.
The fact is Alfie was admiring his pass. Got caught nappin' It wasn't an elbow, it was a clean shoulder check, and hey, that's basically all you can say.
Don't get me wrong, I dislike Alfie alot, but I will give him all the credit for being a fantastic player, but he got nailed, fair and square on that one.
And I mean hey, it isn't as though the Sens are an organization of class (no offense.) Alfie has given his fair of cheap shots, and no Leafs fan will forget Heatley's wicked two hander last year's pre season that broke Brenden Bell's leg.
from 6 months ago
Are you ABSOLUTELY serious with this post?!
CODY... DOESN'T... THINK... THE... HIT... IS... DIRTY. The article isn't even about the hits legality or illegality. Did you even read it?!
"Although I'm not disputing that the hit was clean" - EXACT QUOTE FROM THE ARTICLE.
Buffalo fans cheered the hit, but also cheered when Umberger got back up. You left that part out.
Excuse me if I seem like an ass, but what you're doing is annoying. Read and comprehend the article please.
I agree, it was a clean shoulder check -- unfortunately the first part of Alfredsson's body to get hit was the side of his head. Notice his helmet flies off instantly? 80% within the rules, not that that even makes any sense.
6 months ago
Also, people need to keep into perspective that Alfie got up on his own power and skated to the bench, even taking one more shift before leaving the game. It isn't like he was instantly decapitated.
6 months ago
I was at the game on Thursday way up in the purples. It took a few seconds to realize that it was Alfredsson on the ice and thats when the cheers started to get louder. You could only tell from my vantage that a player had gotten smoked in the middle of the ice and everyone was cheering the hit.
What was really sickening to see was that they got even louder once Alfredsson started to to pound the ice with his glove. The crowd sensed that he was severely hurt and they rejoiced in his pain. I have been to many rinks across the continent but I must say that Philadelphia and Toronto fans are in league of their own.
P.S. Leaf fans are like a bitter divorcee....the hit on Tucker......get over it.
6 months ago
Cindy - as a Leafs fan I'm breathing just fine thanks. Calling the Toronto fan base [which I'm sure is more than 19,000 last time I checked] classless based on the actions of that crowd at the ACC is a classless act in itself. Don't judge other fans, plain and simple. Leafs fans have had to deal with Sens' fans' shit all season and yes we let in 8 goals but what's your point? In hockey it happens that a team will let in more than 5 goals in a game. Who would you rather go into the playoffs with? Gerber or Toskala or Emery? The fact that Sens have 2 incompetent goalies, one a bane to the dressing room the other not knowing what the word 'consistent' means, will show in the playoffs. Yes we didn't make the playoffs 3rd year straight, but what have the Senators done anyway? Make it to the finals and...? In many ways the Sens remind me of the Italians in world football, got TONS of talent but cannot perform when it really matters. And before you talk about 'performance' it is kinda sad that after starting the season with 15 wins and riding a hot team, you had to rely on a Carolina loss after losing to make the playoffs.
Cody - maybe you do and maybe you don't remember the hit on Coliacovo at the Bell Centre where the Canadiens fan base cheered while Coli lay motionless on the ground and booed when he had to be helped off the ice to the dressing room. So I'm guessing you're gonna call the Canadiens 'rabid' fan base classless too? Are you telling me Sens fans mind their manners at all times and are prim and proper? get off it man, this is late season hockey there is a lot of emotion on and off the ice. Why don't you send Bell to jail for the hit? oh wait....
Alfie Dearest has his own fair share of 'classless' acts. No need to define the Leafs fans as classless. You already agreed the hit was fair, Alfie was admiring his pass. Now you can agree that calling an entire fan base classless was wrong.
Enjoy your playoffs, however long it may last.
Cheers.
from 6 months ago
I call any fan that cheers when a player is injured and boos when he can skate away classless. You can hate Alfredsson, fine. You can hate Heatley - fine.
But don't relish in the fact that one of your underachieving/injury-proned players may have ended the season of one of our best players.
And BTW, I'm not looking to turn this into some grand moral debate. I just stated my opinion. Take it or leave it.
6 months ago
Errrrrr.......Shawn buddy.....Italy DID win the last WORLD CUP
Obviously not a leafer from Woodbridge
6 months ago
Yes the Italians won the last World Cup, and your point is? You totally missed my point.
So I'm guessing if the Sens win the Stanley Cup their current season wouldn't matter?
6 months ago
You stated "In many ways the Sens remind me of the Italians in world football, got TONS of talent but cannot perform when it really matters."
Well the Italians DO win when it really matters. Perhaps you forget the last World Cup (have you ever heard of it?) or were you too engrossed in Rick Vaive interviews on Leaf TV?
On you last point, yes winning the cup is the holy grail. I know that it is not too important to Mats but it is to most other players/captains around this league.
6 months ago
You stated "In many ways the Sens remind me of the Italians in world football, got TONS of talent but cannot perform when it really matters."
Well the Italians DO win when it really matters. Perhaps you forget the last World Cup (have you ever heard of it?) or were you too engrossed in Rick Vaive interviews on Leaf TV?
On you last point, yes winning the cup is the holy grail. I know that it is not too important to Mats but it is to most other players/captains around this league.
6 months ago
"I know that it is not too important to Mats but it is to most other players/captains around this league." - strong words to speak for a veteran captain.
Cody, I'll respect your opinion and take your article for what it is. I still don't believe in classifying a fan base the way you or Cindy did.
This argument will rage on and in time get old, but best of luck to the Sens for the playoffs. They'll need it.
from 6 months ago
To Shawn:
"This argument will rage on and in time get old, but best of luck to the Sens for the playoffs. They'll need it."
-- I would wish the Leafs good luck on the green, but with all the practice they've been getting the last few years, they don't need my luck. At least they'll be winning something though right?
from 6 months ago
That's good buddy, the good ole golfing jibe. And you're right at least we'll be winning at something. Something the Sens haven't proved over the last month or so. Thanks for the jibe though, real original.
from 6 months ago
Does unoriginality make it any less true?
Aren't the Leafs payed to play hockey well? Why don't they do that?
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