For those who watch the NHL and have been watching the playoffs so far this year. What do you think about all the head hits that are not being called by the officials while legal seeming hits where the player getting hit is responsible for their position are putting teams on the PP? Do you think the NHL is trying hard enough to police head hunting? And do you think the players are getting more aggressive in their hits, possibly because of the speed of the skilled players and pace of the game? Or have any other thoughts on the NHL and it's rules as they are enforced or not in he playoffs.

To be Honest, In my opinion they Definitely are not doing enough, watching the playoffs so far i have seen some really really dirty plays that weren't even looked at or mentioned by anyone and yet, in the very same game with the very same referees they will call just a good hit, a 5 minute (major) penalty, where the guy getting hit had his head turned, (his fault) and listen to the whole crowd boo, the announcers rag on the played that made the good hit.

All I'm gonna say-

This is what you get for allowing people to hit each other in the first place. Now you have MMA on ice. Good job.

legacyme3 : Yeah i agree, it kinda stupid the stuff they allow to happen out there, i mean they are gliding around on razor blades crashing into each other.... let's make it more dangerous!!! hahaha j/k (make it more dangerous by allowing cheap hits)

Hockey has been played with hitting for 100 years. Hitting is not the issue, it's the cheap shots into the boards, head shots, and hits after the whistle. Many sports have physical contact and have rules to limit the physical play to the pure intention of he game. Taking hitting out of hockey would completely change the game. Anyone that has watched a non-checking league game would say that isn't hockey. When enforcing rules one can't say, just do away with the part that is hard to judge, because that would change the nature of the game. One instead must clarify the rules and enforce them properly. Officiating shouldn't be EZ-mode, this isn't a video game. And ruining sports to make it EZ-mode on the fans and refs is what is ruining the NBA. The NHL will follow in those footsteps as the fans of the NBA continue to support a league they know to be corrupt. The problem is also money, league pay so much attention to the money making portions of their games, they don't give a hoot about the pure essence of their sport, and therefore the officiating and league rules suffer as result....they quality of sport suffers in the end as well.

I saw a few boardings from behind that went uncalled and it pissed me off. They made a whole big stink after the Chara hit, suspended Matt Cooke of the Penguins and haven't done a damn thing since. The officiating in several of the Eastern Conference games in round one was a joke, and what I saw of the Western Conference games was only slightly better. It is like the refs are purposely not paying attention to what is going on!

Yeah, the officiating is always tough. You see similar hits being called totally different (sometimes by the same ref) and suspensions being handed out by the league are totally up in the air. You could shoot someone on this ice but if that was your first incident you likely won't get a game. Then take someone like Matt Cooke. A grey area sort of call with him could still get him a half dozen games just because of who he is.

Now I'm not saying he should get a break but I think there needs to be more consistency with these suspensions.

You want to fix this problem? Bring hooking and holding back into the game. When players good hook and hold through the neutral zone and in their defensive zone the hitting wasn't so bad. Sure there were still open ice hits and the like but you couldn't get up to full speed and annihilate guys that were just trying to play the puck.

geeogree : I have to totally agree, i hate when i see a ref call something, while down at the other end that very same ref would see the samething happen, and ignore it.

I never got to see a game without those calls, so I wouldn't know... but honestly I really don't see hooking or holding as that big of a deal unless it turns into a trip or interference of some kind.

So... yeah... round 3 is looking rather interesting. I am super happy that San Jose managed to move on, but I am really annoyed that they gave up the 3-0 lead in the series. I have to say that I am super surprised that both Boston and Tampa swept... I admit I feel a whole lot better about the loss to Tampa now since at least we took it to game seven *points at Capitals and laughs*

My guess/hopes are Sharks in 7, Tampa in 6.