Tasser’s Take: NHL playoffs violent, dirty

The National Hockey League has had a spectacular first round of hockey thus far, featuring… The National Hockey League has had a spectacular first round of hockey thus far, featuring upsets, overtimes and — with the exception of one series in particular — great defense and goaltending. But all of that has been marred recently by dirty play and cheap shots that are not reminiscent of the “playoff hockey” that the sport’s fans are used to.

The Pittsburgh-Philadelphia series, predicted to be the most exciting of the first round, has not disappointed — but not in a good way for Penguins fans.

The Flyers have stunned the Stanley Cup-favorite Penguins in jumping out to a three-games-to-none lead in a series that has featured the least sportsmanship this writer has ever witnessed. Much to the delight of the Philly faithful, the Pens came off as punks on national television in the Flyer’s 8-4 Game 3 romp. Though it was exciting to see two of the game’s best players — Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux — square off in a fight, what wasn’t exciting was Arron Asham’s cross-check to the throat and subsequent sucker punch to Brayden Schenn (while the brutal cross-check was in response to Schenn’s blatant charge on defenseman Paul Martin, the punch when Schenn was on the ground was inexcusable).

Nor was James Neal’s dirty head-hunting tactics on Giroux and Sean Couturier (which ruined an otherwise good game for him) or Flyer’s assistant coach Craig Berube caught on tape instructing Wayne Simmonds to go after Neal on his way to the penalty box. Asham was suspended for four games and Neal was suspended for one, while Berube and Simmonds escaped punishment.

Game 1 of the Nashville-Detroit series featured another instance of dirty play. With the Nashville Predators up 3-2 in the waning seconds of the game, big defenseman and captain Shea Weber grabbed the back of the Detroit Red Wings’ Henrik Zetterberg’s neck and slammed his head into the glass. Weber was fined only $2,500 for his egregious act, but he was forced to atone by fighting Wings’ big man Todd Bertuzzi in the opening minutes of Game 2. Bertuzzi — of dirty-play fame — was suspended for 20 games back in 2004-2005 for an on-ice attack that ended center Steve Moore’s career.

Weber’s head-smashing tactics have overshadowed the spectacular play of Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, who has led the Preds to a 3-1 series lead.

But it doesn’t stop there. In Game 3 of the intense Chicago-Phoenix series — all three games went into overtime — the Coyote’s Raffi Torres left his feet and leveled Blackhawks star Marian Hossa with a shoulder to the head well after Hossa had gotten rid of the puck. Hossa was taken away on a stretcher and spent the night in the hospital. Torres is a repeat offender — he was suspended two games this season and four last season for head-targeting hits — and is likely facing a lengthy suspension. The Coyotes went on to defeat the Hossa-less Blackhawks in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead.

The saddest part about all of this debauchery is that the great play of the other teams in the playoffs isn’t being seen because everyone is instead focusing on the barbarity. The Los Angeles Kings have ridden red-hot goaltender Jonathan Quick to a 3-0 series lead over the Canucks, who were favorites to meet the Penguins in the Stanley Cup final. Likewise, the St. Louis Blues lead the San Jose Sharks 2-1 behind the stingiest defense in the league, and Vezina Trophy favorite Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers has given up only five goals in three games, giving his team a 2-1 lead over the Ottawa Senators. Boston leads Washington 2-1 in a series that features all one-goal games, and the Florida Panthers are attempting to defeat the New Jersey Devils (they lead 2-1) in what would be their first playoff series win since they made the Stanley Cup Finals all the way back in 1996.