>
>  Last Friday the Wisconsin Badgers played at Denver. During the first period
>  Wisconsin defenseman Sean Hill "elbowed" Denver player Mike Aikens. Aikens
 was
>  knocked out and after being evaluated on the ice by the trainers and doctors
>  he was carried from the ice immobilized by paramedics. Aikens said he lost
>  feeling in his legs and had tingling up and down his spine. Today the
>  Minneapolis and St Paul papers made comment on the incident.
>
>  Comments anyone?
>
>  Carol White
>  U of M
>  GO Gophers!!!
>
I prefer the college game over the professional game because in general it
emphasizes skating over fighting and "excessive" physical contact.  While
hockey is a contact sport, IMHO ever since the college players began
wearing helmets and masks, some players have become more aggressive with
the excuse that the other guy is protected.  There is a fine line between
the officials "letting them play" and taking control of a game early and
many officials I've seen in the WCHA can't or don't do a very good job in
this respect.  (I'm curious who the referee was for the Wisconsin-Denver
series last weekend.).  While the officials play a big role in dictating
the tempo of the game, their decisions or indecisions can lead to career
ending injuries which will affect a player for life.
Several weeks ago there was discussion among list members about the
fights, etc., between Minnesota and Colorado College and how Brad
Buetow has seemed to condone this type of behavior by his players. He
may have resorted to this due to the career ending injury to Sean Foley
last year inflicted by Minnesota's Randy Skarda (I believe).  I don't
remember the specifics of the game, but possibly the officials decided
to let things go in that game which led to the injury.  An eye-for-an-eye
and a-tooth-for-a-tooth is not the answer, and I hope that the WCHA
committee will address the big picture and not just this one incident.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
 
John Feigal
Go Gophers!!
[log in to unmask]
 
 
 
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