As we take a quick look around the hockey world, there were a couple of interesting hockey "fights" this weekend. First of all, Sid Crosby picked up an instigator penalty as well as an unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10 minute major misconduct for mixing it up with Brett McLean during the Pens loss to the Panthers on Saturday. As the two players lined up for a faceoff, Crosby showed all the class of his potential mentor, Sean Avery as he jumped McLean, who never had a chance.
Crosby claimed that he asked McLean to go before the rumble, but it sure didn't look like the Florida center was expecting to be jumped. Obviously, the linesmen and refs didn't hear the alleged exchange as they practically threw the book at the NHL's "golden boy". Puck Daddy and James Mirtle have their takes along with plenty of feedback from fans.
My question- what if McLean had done the exact same thing to Crosby? I have a feeling Pens fans and the league wouldn't be too happy about it.
If anything good comes from this, it would seem that Sean Avery would be a welcome sight and could always find a home in Pittsburgh. He could wear the "A" and skate alongside his protege, Crosby.
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In another scrap on Saturday, Alexander Semin tangles with Marc Staal. It all seems harmless enough until Staal falls down and Semin goes a bit "slap happy" on him. The announcer appropriately makes a remark that it looked like the Russian was playing the bongos on Staal's head.
Even his Washington teammates were giggling and laughing about the "fight", but unlike Crosby, at least Semin had the guts to face his combatant face to face. Hopefully, Eric's little brother didn't get scratched in the bout.
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In other news, Slovakia eliminated team USA in the World Juniors. It was a tough loss for the Americans who gave team Canada all they could handle in their previous game. Drayson Bowman did well for himself in the tournament, earning star of the game honors once and gaining some more international respect along the way.
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Earlier today, the Hurricanes returned Patrick Dwyer to Albany. Looks like Patrick Eaves might be ready to go again against New Jersey on Tuesday night. Wade Brookbank is always an option, but Carolina needs an extra penalty killer and while Dwyer and Eaves provide that expertise, Brookbank does not.