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Montreal cops investigating hockey hit
Police in Montreal said Thursday they will investigate a hit in Tuesday night's National Hockey League game as a possible crime, Canadian media report.
The hit by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara on the Montreal Canadiens' Max Pacioretty left Pacioretty with a severe concussion and a fractured vertebra, according to a CTV report.
Chara was given two penalties on the play and ejected from the game. On Wednesday, the NHL said the penalties assessed on the ice were appropriate and it would take no further action.
But Quebec's top prosecutor, Louis Dionne, asked for the police investigation after watching video of the play, the CBC reported.
In the play, Pacioretty skates with the puck in front of the bench area of Montreal's Bell Centre as Chara comes alongside and tries to push Pacioretty into the boards along the benches. Pacioretty's head slams violently into a glass stanchion separating the two benches. Pacioretty was face-down on the ice for several minutes.
NHL Senior Vice President Mike Murphy called the hit "a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface," CTV reported.
Chara said Wednesday he did not try to harm Pacioretty.
“Obviously I feel bad about what happened. I was trying to make a strong hockey play and play hard. It was just very, very unfortunate that the player got hurt and had to leave the game,” the Boston Herald quoted him as saying.
"It was just one of those things. These things, like glass extensions, doors, even hockey nets, are part of the game. Obviously, players run into them. It’s just very, very unfortunate that a player got hurt,” he said.
The NHL's decision not to further discipline Chara didn't sit well with Canadiens fans. Their calls flooded a police emergency call center in Montreal after the league's announcement Wednesday asking police to take action, the CBC reported.
Pacioretty was also upset with the league.
"I am upset and disgusted that the league didn't think enough of [the hit] to suspend him," he told Bob McKenzie of TSN.com. "I'm not mad for myself, I'm mad because if other players see a hit like that and think it's OK, they won't be suspended, then other players will get hurt like I got hurt."
NHL shafted Jerry Moyes
Silliness. It was a hard, clean play and a very unfortunate accident. We aren't going to charge Braves catcher Brian McCann with a crime, yet he hit a coach in the face with a line drive. Call the DA, McCann is a menace! Please.
Funny thing is tho if it was the other way around and Chara was the one hit yea boston fans would be mad if there was no suspension but we would never EVER open up a criminal investigation because it has nothing to do with the athorities if you dont want to be hurt than Hockey is not the sport you should be in.......
What an age we live in, where hockey checks are prosecuted by law, yet a basketball player can pull out a gun on someone in a locker room and nothing happens.
Really. I can't wait for the 24th when montreal plays in boston. Canadiens fans are such jokes. Awesome hit, unfortunate outcome.
And norm, stop with the conspiracy theories. There was no "advice", and I highly doubt Chara was humiliated, real men play hockey, they don't hold a grudge. Its all part of the game. Grow up. Nothings going to come of this so give it up.
i can`t stop laughing ,reading all these comments through my lunch break...some are so absurd & funny....thanks ladies & gents
It is clear that this was not some intentional attempt to decimate the poor guy. Rather, it was a combination of being run into...and the design of the arena. Really, did they think that having that stanchion there was safe? Reminds of the luge event at the Olympics!
There should be NO WAY that a hockey player can conceivably hit something like that. It should be smooth plexiglass all the way around.
I love hockey the big Chara is not vicious player, and yes he was looking for Pacioretty for the past 2 games.
He intentionally hurt the young player.
Resources such as the one you pointed out right here will probably be extremely helpful to myself!