Great article Blake! I think Aaron Gens definitely makes the list of hated opponents.
I enjoy the occasional opposing mascot being hanged in effigy from a hockey stick.
We need Icy to ride on the Zamboni and fly his kite again!
WF
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 10:57am
Hey, has anyone heard how Mike Vaskivoo is doing in the playoffs... oh wait... nevermind.
How's that trade working out now?????
Hoss
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 11:15am
Great story Blake. This is the best time of the year...PLAYOFFS!
I personally think I would put Tifu on that list before Gens, after his "act" in warm-ups with the fans.
Zixzing
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 11:58am
I too found this article very fun to read. I also have to agree with Hoss on Tifu making the list. I do think though that Gens should be added also. That hit Auger last year was nasty.
Who/SuZ
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 12:44pm
Definitely Gill, based on his attitude and play during both games here.
OldHockeyFart
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 1:31pm
In the playoffs every game is MUST WIN! Every shift is the most inportant shift of the game! There is nothing like the playoffs in Fort Wayne!
Blake, I looked at the so called kneeing call frame by frame and still disagree with the call, let alone any further actions by the league.
Blake Sebring
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 1:33pm
Still believe the ref, in that instantaneous situation, had to make that call. In that situation, you go harsher rather than lighter on the sentence, and then let the league made the final call later. Without the benefit of replay, the ref really had no other choice, and I'm not convinced he even saw it happen. Either way, an impossible situation.
We'll find out this afternoon.
Zixzing
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 1:41pm
It seemed like the ref gave the signal for tripping initially. Then after talking out the penalty he switched it to clipping. This leads me to believe that he most likely didn't see the play. However I agree that he is better off not taking the situation lightly. Walrod was definitely hurt so the ref knew contact had to have been made to the knee. I would hope the league makes the right decision here in not giving anything beyond a fine. We played without a great player for 2 OT periods. That should be more than enough punishment.
Blake Sebring
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 1:51pm
I don't know what the league will do and don't pretend to tell them what to do, either. Impossible job. I do know that Joe Ernst will have studied this thing from every angle possible, will have debated in his head endlessly since Sunday and will have talked to as many people as possible to get advice and make the fairest possible call. That man works at it, and I have total respect for him, and I'd say that no matter what the decision.
Of all the various czars of discipline the Komets have had in various leagues over the years -- Tom Berry, Brad Jones, Jim Wiley and now Joe Ernst -- they all have taken decisions like this very seriously and studied them very carefully. It's impressive to see how thorough they are. You can disagree with the outcome, but not the process they use to get there or that they believe they have done all they could to get it right. There's a lot of sleepless nights involved. I would not want that job.
Alan
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 2:08pm
Just be glad it's not the same as in the CHL, where the "double secret probation" committee can reverse a decision.
Seeing the play "live", and then being able to watch the replay, I didn't see anything dirty or intentional on Embach's behalf. Just looked like 'hockey" to me....so saying all that I'm sure a stiff suspension will come down. (It always seems to work that way, doesn't it?)
Blake Sebring
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 2:19pm
Way to go and jinx it, Alan. We're blaming you if the league comes down hard.
OldHockeyFart
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 2:22pm
Blake, if you put Ernst up there with Tom Berry then I will accept his call. May not agree but he has more sources to obtain input then I.
I thought the major was kneeing and not clipping? I think their player was trying to jump around, trying to avoid the check as he had already pushed the puck ahead but his stick got caught up along with a slight part of his body. Hence, he got flipped. That is my two cents and wait for the league ruling.
I agree without a slow down review of the video it is difficult to say what happened. The thing is the
Komets weathered the storm over giving up and this is one more thing to make them threat in the playoffs.
Blake Sebring
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 2:38pm
I really try t0 consider the questions fans would want asked in situations like this, looking at it from different angles, and I've never asked a question that these men had not already considered. These are not snap judgments.
Blake Sebring
Wed, 04/30/2014 - 4:15pm
I thought of another great one to add to this, the day after it was published, of course. Mike Emrick mentioning how the Komets did during his NHL broadcasts. I'll have to remember that one for the future. Anyone else got any more we should consider?
Comments
Great article Blake! I think Aaron Gens definitely makes the list of hated opponents.
I enjoy the occasional opposing mascot being hanged in effigy from a hockey stick.
We need Icy to ride on the Zamboni and fly his kite again!
Hey, has anyone heard how Mike Vaskivoo is doing in the playoffs... oh wait... nevermind.
How's that trade working out now?????
Great story Blake. This is the best time of the year...PLAYOFFS!
I personally think I would put Tifu on that list before Gens, after his "act" in warm-ups with the fans.
I too found this article very fun to read. I also have to agree with Hoss on Tifu making the list. I do think though that Gens should be added also. That hit Auger last year was nasty.
Definitely Gill, based on his attitude and play during both games here.
In the playoffs every game is MUST WIN! Every shift is the most inportant shift of the game! There is nothing like the playoffs in Fort Wayne!
Blake, I looked at the so called kneeing call frame by frame and still disagree with the call, let alone any further actions by the league.
Still believe the ref, in that instantaneous situation, had to make that call. In that situation, you go harsher rather than lighter on the sentence, and then let the league made the final call later. Without the benefit of replay, the ref really had no other choice, and I'm not convinced he even saw it happen. Either way, an impossible situation.
We'll find out this afternoon.
It seemed like the ref gave the signal for tripping initially. Then after talking out the penalty he switched it to clipping. This leads me to believe that he most likely didn't see the play. However I agree that he is better off not taking the situation lightly. Walrod was definitely hurt so the ref knew contact had to have been made to the knee. I would hope the league makes the right decision here in not giving anything beyond a fine. We played without a great player for 2 OT periods. That should be more than enough punishment.
I don't know what the league will do and don't pretend to tell them what to do, either. Impossible job. I do know that Joe Ernst will have studied this thing from every angle possible, will have debated in his head endlessly since Sunday and will have talked to as many people as possible to get advice and make the fairest possible call. That man works at it, and I have total respect for him, and I'd say that no matter what the decision.
Of all the various czars of discipline the Komets have had in various leagues over the years -- Tom Berry, Brad Jones, Jim Wiley and now Joe Ernst -- they all have taken decisions like this very seriously and studied them very carefully. It's impressive to see how thorough they are. You can disagree with the outcome, but not the process they use to get there or that they believe they have done all they could to get it right. There's a lot of sleepless nights involved. I would not want that job.
Just be glad it's not the same as in the CHL, where the "double secret probation" committee can reverse a decision.
Seeing the play "live", and then being able to watch the replay, I didn't see anything dirty or intentional on Embach's behalf. Just looked like 'hockey" to me....so saying all that I'm sure a stiff suspension will come down. (It always seems to work that way, doesn't it?)
Way to go and jinx it, Alan. We're blaming you if the league comes down hard.
Blake, if you put Ernst up there with Tom Berry then I will accept his call. May not agree but he has more sources to obtain input then I.
I thought the major was kneeing and not clipping? I think their player was trying to jump around, trying to avoid the check as he had already pushed the puck ahead but his stick got caught up along with a slight part of his body. Hence, he got flipped. That is my two cents and wait for the league ruling.
I agree without a slow down review of the video it is difficult to say what happened. The thing is the
Komets weathered the storm over giving up and this is one more thing to make them threat in the playoffs.
I really try t0 consider the questions fans would want asked in situations like this, looking at it from different angles, and I've never asked a question that these men had not already considered. These are not snap judgments.
I thought of another great one to add to this, the day after it was published, of course. Mike Emrick mentioning how the Komets did during his NHL broadcasts. I'll have to remember that one for the future. Anyone else got any more we should consider?