Crosby blasts Foligno over crease scrum complaints
Nick Foligno had some choice words for Penguins star Sidney Crosby after the two became enmeshed in a scrum near Pittsburgh’s crease Friday night.
Nick Foligno had some choice words for Penguins star Sidney Crosby after the two became enmeshed in a scrum near Pittsburgh’s crease Friday night. It all started after Foligno did a backflop over PIT netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, prompting Crosby to take a few swings at Foligno. The Senators’ winger accused Crosby of aiming for the head after preaching about how dangerous head hits were while recovering from a concussion. Here’s what Crosby had to say Saturday night in response:
“I don’t know what he’s talking about. I was talking about the hits like we saw here (in Montreal) tonight, not a scrum and I don’t know what he expects after he runs the goalie three times. He’s probably lucky it was me that was handling it and not someone else, so if he’s going to do that, he should be ready to expect a response and like I said, that’s a hockey scrum and he should expect that if he wants to play that way. If given the opportunity again, I would you know, get my hands up the same way.
“It wasn’t an elbow, I think he’s blowing it totally out of proportion and, two nights before that, I go in a scrum and I get punched in the head. I accept that. I’m going in a scrum, that’s part of the game. If he’s going to run the goalie, he’s got to expect that guys are going to get hands in his face, especially around that area.”
Well, I’ve two thoughts on this;
1. Crosby didn’t point out his headshots against, that put him out.2
2. He has, however, come out strongly against targeting the head, which he did.
At the end of the day it should have been a fine, nothing more. But, Foligno getting a roughing penalty, for being butt ended in the face, well, that just shows how certain players get their breaks, while other take their lumps, eh Sid?
GN
Don’t quite understand the first point made by Sensay, but it is my gut feeling that Sid’s behaviour vis-a-vis Foligno the other night did nothing for those of us who see him as being a bit two faced at times. Rarely (very rarely) do I ever agree with Don Cherry, but his comments on Coach’s Corner on Saturday wrt to teh Kid’s behaviour in this instance were spot on.And so were Foligno’s.
Stick to playing hockey mostly the right way Sid. And when you want to send a message to an opponent keep it clean and not to the head. Wouldn’t want the rest of us to think the result of head shots upon your own person are leading you to behave out of character or for you to forget that its just a game and not a life and death struggle.
When Crosby talks about head shots he does not mean a scrum in front of the net.Foligno should concentrate of this he said she said garbage. If you go to the front of the net that’s what you should expect. I guess that’s why Foligno doesn’t go there very much .If he did he might not end up being as bad of a first round bust as he has been so far in his career.
Interesting comments by Sidney. Uhm sorry kid, the video clearly shows you elbowing Foligno in the head. As for the running the goalie part … as I recall it he was checked into the goalie twice and the incident in question I think Fleury took his legs out and Foligno chose to fall backwards on Fleury (which the goalie deserved). So rather than facing him like a man you cross-checked him a few times and then we he shoved you back, you lost your temper and elbowed him in the face. Definitely a deliberate (and cowardly) hit to the head.
As for Slowmo there are ways to deal with a player running your goalie and dropping your gloves would be the honourable way. An elbow to the head has never been the appropriate response (except for the Philly Broad Street bullies days).
Obviously the refs were listening to Crosby. Check the penalty Foligno got for goalie interference when he knocked a defender into Ward during the Carolina game. I have seen deliberate attempts to do that and Foligno’s wasn’t one of them. He went to the side of the net (not very quickly), the defender came over to move him and Foligno won the strength battle. Clearly Sid’s words were ringing in the ref’s ears when he made the penalty call.