Bruins' Nathan Horton to miss remainder of playoffs with severe concussion.

wilheim · Jun 7, 2011

Boston Bruins forward Nathan Horton will miss the remainder of the Stanley Cup Final due to a severe concussion suffered during Game 3 on Monday.

Horton was injured at 5:07 of the first period on a check by Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome. Horton remained on the ice for several minutes and eventually was removed on a stretcher and taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

Rose was assessed a five-minute major for interference and game-misconduct. TSN is reporting he will meet with NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy for potential supplemental discipline on Tuesday.

Horton's 8 goals and 17 points are second on the team, and he's played a key role on the Bruins' top line, with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. Earlier this postseason, he became the first player in NHL history to score the winning goal in two Game 7s in one playoff year. He scored the overtime series-winner against the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, and scored the only goal of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

NHL.com

DollarDay · Jun 7, 2011

At a minimum Rome needs to be done for the playoffs as well. A good hard check is one thing, but almost jumping up and aiming at his head is another.

Fishhead · Jun 7, 2011

baccy said:
At a minimum Rome needs to be done for the playoffs as well. A good hard check is one thing, but almost jumping up and aiming at his head is another.

This is hockey, not tennis.

Things happen.

nuckers · Jun 7, 2011

Definitely a late hit and it was a scary situation seeing Horton lying on the ice like that, I thought it was worse the way he laid their motionless for a bit, hope he bounces back strong. I don't think there was any maliciousness meant by the hit but it is what it is, late is late. It's funny how the nhl has changed, years ago Scott Stevens was delivering this very hit and was considered the most feared open ice hitter in hockey, routinely late, and ending careers and he's a hall of famer, today it's a suspension.

nuckers · Jun 7, 2011

baccy said:
At a minimum Rome needs to be done for the playoffs as well. A good hard check is one thing, but almost jumping up and aiming at his head is another.

I disagree, it was late but in game speed we're talking about a 1/3 of a second late, that's asking a lot for a player to completely let up on a hit he's got lined up but still needs to be done. That said, I don't think there was any intentional head shot or cheap shot, no leading with the elbow, he times this right it's a clean hit. It looks worse cause it is late and Hortons eyes are following the puck not the impact on its way so he gets rocked and head takes a beating off the ice. Rome leads with the shoulder and get lifted by the impact not jumping into make the hit. This is one of those penalties that if Horton bounces up you don't see a suspension, since he's out you'll see one.

DollarDay · Jun 7, 2011

nuckers said:
I disagree, it was late but in game speed we're talking about a 1/3 of a second late, that's asking a lot for a player to completely let up on a hit he's got lined up but still needs to be done. That said, I don't think there was any intentional head shot or cheap shot, no leading with the elbow, he times this right it's a clean hit. It looks worse cause it is late and Hortons eyes are following the puck not the impact on its way so he gets rocked and head takes a beating off the ice. Rome leads with the shoulder and get lifted by the impact not jumping into make the hit. This is one of those penalties that if Horton bounces up you don't see a suspension, since he's out you'll see one.

Disagree with it - I watched again and I think Rome jumped up at the end and was aiming at the head. As for the timing, you're right it's a split second decision, but if would have stayed on his feet instead of "exploding" (yeah, bad word, just don't know what else to call it) into the check that I have the problem with.

wilheim · Jun 7, 2011

NHL Rule 48 Broken down - It is what it is and most fans are going to see the hit colored by the team they are rooting for.

From Official NHL Rulebook.

Rule 48 - Illegal Check to the Head:

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact is not permitted.

48.2 Minor Penalty - There is no provision for a minor penalty for this rule.

48.3 Major Penalty - For a violation of this rule, a major penalty shall be assessed (see 48.4).

48.4 Game Misconduct – An automatic game misconduct penalty shall be assessed whenever a major penalty is assessed under this rule.

48.5 Match Penalty - The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a match penalty if, in his judgment, the player attempted to or deliberately injured his opponent with an illegal check to the head.

48.6 Fines and Suspensions – Any player who incurs a total of two (2) game misconducts under this rule, in either regular League or playoff games, shall be suspended automatically for the next game his team plays. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.
If deemed appropriate, supplementary discipline can be applied by the Commissioner at his discretion (refer to Rule 28).

wil.

PatsFanatic · Jun 7, 2011

nuckers said:
I disagree, it was late but in game speed we're talking about a 1/3 of a second late, that's asking a lot for a player to completely let up on a hit he's got lined up but still needs to be done. That said, I don't think there was any intentional head shot or cheap shot, no leading with the elbow, he times this right it's a clean hit. It looks worse cause it is late and Hortons eyes are following the puck not the impact on its way so he gets rocked and head takes a beating off the ice. Rome leads with the shoulder and get lifted by the impact not jumping into make the hit. This is one of those penalties that if Horton bounces up you don't see a suspension, since he's out you'll see one.

Late by minutes, not split seconds. He took his time and lined it him up good. Don't give us this biased shit!

HuskerFan1 · Jun 7, 2011

id like to line up gary bettman, and im sure there's 1000's of fellow bostonians here that would jump at the chance to size this guy up ever they ever saw him walking down canal street... this falls on his head IMO. if he comes out and does what he SHOULD HAVE DONE and suspends burrows, i dont think last nights hit would have ever happened....if he does get suspended, bruins dont activate thornton and he doesnt come out on his 1st shift and goes after burrows and draws the penalty, then the hit on horton...

gary bettman is a spineless fu-king POS, these hockey playoffs have been epic and your drawing new casual fans into this great game and they are being subjected to biting bullshit, awful late hits and even players making a mockery of the game with the sedin twins introducing burrows as a vegetarian....its sickening....Roger Goodell would NEVER put up with this shit...

lax_gunman · Jun 7, 2011

Rome gets four games...sounds about right to me...he was late and left his feet

CujoLatte · Jun 7, 2011

That was so late they should charge him with aggravated assault!

wilheim · Jun 7, 2011

League sits down Canucks defensemen Aaron Rome for remainder of playoffs...

Nathan Horton will miss the rest of the Stanley Cup finals with a severe concussion and Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome is finished too after the NHL suspended him for four games Tuesday for his blindside hit on the Bruins forward during Game 3.

Horton had just passed the puck early in the first period when Rome lowered his shoulder and left his skates to flatten him, delivering what the Bruins saw as the kind of hit the league has tried to eliminate after several players sustained severe concussions.
The NHL wasted no time stepping in, either, quickly announcing Rome would not return to the series.

sean1 · Jun 7, 2011

Bad move by the NHL.

The hit was late. The hit was to the head. But this is hockey and this stuff happens. THey are moving 30-40 mph. The 5 minute penalty was enough in my mind. Rome should be lucky he's not out there cause he'd get his face rearranged.

MIKEY.1TIME · Jun 7, 2011

sean1 said:
Bad move by the NHL.

The hit was late. The hit was to the head. But this is hockey and this stuff happens. THey are moving 30-40 mph. The 5 minute penalty was enough in my mind. Rome should be lucky he's not out there cause he'd get his face rearranged.

if the nhl didnt suspend him, the bruins would of sent one of their goons to decapitate one of the sendins

HuskerFan1 · Jun 7, 2011

the league fu-ked up on the original bite....and they know they did...they are talking about it on 98.5 the sportshub right now...

they played the clip of a league official talking about how the series has gotten "chippy" ya it b/c burrows should have been suspended for BITING! and the bruins are fu-king pissed off! why you think they activated thornton for last nights game....

if i was boston i wouldnt stop what i did last night, force the league to do something to you

Kettch · Jun 7, 2011

CujoLatte said:
That was so late they should charge him with aggravated assault!

This is Boston, not Montreal!!

slapshot · Jun 7, 2011

CujoLatte said:
That was so late they should charge him with aggravated assault!

No

he made a great pass just ask him he was watching it

nuckers · Jun 7, 2011

PatsFanatic said:
Late by minutes, not split seconds. He took his time and lined it him up good. Don't give us this biased shit!

says the boston fan

Bob McKenzie tweeted during the game that the nhl discliplinary office defines a hit as late if on slow mo it's 13 frames after the pucks been dished, rome was at 24, they worked it out to be 1/3 of a second late in real time. I know it prolly felt like minutes to you as you realized you just lost one of your only top talents for the series but time didn't literally stand still it was still less than a second for that to go down.

PatsFanatic · Jun 7, 2011

nuckers said:
says the boston fan

Bob McKenzie tweeted during the game that the nhl discliplinary office defines a hit as late if on slow mo it's 13 frames after the pucks been dished, rome was at 24, they worked it out to be 1/3 of a second late in real time. I know it prolly felt like minutes to you as you realized you just lost one of your only top talents for the series but time didn't literally stand still it was still less than a second for that to go down.

Well he had time to stop, plant his skates, then jump into him as a projectile with perfect timing. He got 4 games, it was REALLY late.

That part about the only top talents is funny BTW.

nuckers · Jun 7, 2011

I'm not denying it was late but if you've played the game you'd realize that isn't nearly as late as you want to believe it is, on the ice that's quicker than your slo mo vantage point, there was time to lay off but 1/3 of a second he doesnt finish that hit Hortons on his way to a scoring chance so that's how quick he has to decide and we know what happens. Stop plant and project come on. Freeze it on 37 seconds, second of contact, he's still on the ice, he's just taken on a 200+ pounder how you don't get rocked by that impact I don't know, he's moved off his feet by the impact. I'm nearly 2 bills I come running at you full speed, you stand me up you're not gonna move?

What's funny about the only top talents comment, it's accurate, you have Krejci and Horton, that's your talent guys who can change games night in night out, the rest are plumbers and grinders who work hard and have their moments, their isn't much elite talent after that on offense. Seguin could be but Lucic, Bergeron, Ryder, Marchand, good players, useful players but hard working types, not overly talented.