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Good day to all.
Did you happen to catch the Brendan Gallagher hit on Adam Pelech in Thursday’s NHL game in Montreal?
“Hit” isn’t necessarily the noun I’d use to describe the actions of the Montreal forward.
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“Assault” works for me.
Gallagher’s elbow to the face of the New York Islanders defenceman was about as barbaric an on-ice act as I’ve seen in a long time.
Pelech was cruising through the neutral zone in the third period and had passed the puck when he was knocked clean off his feet. Down for about a minute, he was attended to by a trainer and then skated to the locker room.
Pelech definitely did not look right while making his way off the ice. He was sidelined 21 games last season with a concussion and has already missed 23 contests this campaign with wrist and lower-body injuries.
When the play was whistled down, Gallagher stood near the glass and kind of shrugged, as if to say, “What’s the problem?” and then quickly went into self-preservation mode as Pelech’s teammates surrounded him.
He ended up receiving a match penalty and game misconduct, and there absolutely will be additional punishment doled out to the Habs’ resident pest.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety said this morning the Canadiens veteran was offered a phone hearing later today instead of in-person meeting, which means he faces a maximum suspension of five games.
What a joke. He’s getting off way too easy.
Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher in 2020 (Jeffrey T. Barnes / The Canadian Press / The Associated Press files)
Like me and about a billion others, P.K. Subban, one of Gallagher’s former teammates in Montreal and a current ESPN analyst, was disgusted by the play.
“It’s not a hockey play. It’s not a collision in the corner. It’s not a battle for the puck. This is a guy skating the puck through the middle of the ice and Gallagher throws his elbow right into his chin,” Subban said on air.
“I don’t now how else I’m supposed to call that, but to me those are the hits that we just can’t have. That’s inexcusable. There’s no upside.”
When high hits occur in open ice and a guy gets hurt, there’s usually a litany of excuses uttered by the offender, his coach, teammates, former players working in broadcast and hockey fans on social media.
It’s a fast game. It’s a physical game. Emotions run high. Keep your head up, fella.
Hollow words in this instance.
Gallagher targeted Pelech’s head with a flying elbow. WWE-wrestling style. Except it wasn’t a staged move to feed a frenzied crowd.
It was sickening.
“This is a disgusting hit. This isn’t 1990 or the early 2000s. This needs to be out of the game. Just a terrible, terrible hit,” said Pelech’s former Islander teammate and current MSG analyst Thomas Hickey.
I’ve been watching the NHL for more than 50 years. I admit I used to leap from my seat in Section 2, Row 14 at the old Winnipeg Arena whenever a fight broke out, hoping the enforcer du jour — Jimmy Mann, Jim Kyte Shawn Cronin, Gord Donnelly or Tie Domi — would exact some punishment.
As I get older, my disdain for fighting in hockey grows. I get no enjoyment out of watching participants in the game I love getting cold-cocked.
Gallagher’s antics take my disgust to another level. The deliberate act of violence put Pelech’s long-term health at risk. His ability to make a living in jeopardy.
Gallagher shares the same occupation. These guys are union brethren.
I don’t get it. I really don’t.
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