Ference/By S. Bradley
BOSTON — Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed today that after a morning hearing with the NHL office, defenseman Andrew Ference was not suspended for his hit on Montreal’s Jeff Halpern last night.
Halpern and Ference collided during the third period of Boston’s 4-3 overtime win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the Bruins and Habs at TD Garden.
Here’s another look at the play:
“When it first happened, I wasn’t [worried]. When I took a closer look at it — because I thought it was just incidental contact – when I took a closer look at it I could see where the league’s concerns lied,” said Chiarelli during a TD Garden press conference today. “But when you look at the whole play, we turned the puck over at our blue [line] and when that happens, the D are supposed to close off the rim around the wall. So he was moving that way, and what Andy said was that he just saw [Halpern] off his shoulder as he was moving. He was looking up because he saw the turnover. His motion and [Halpern’s] motion, they ran into each other.”
This was Ference’s second hearing with the league in a week. Last week, he was fined $2,500 for an obscene gesture he made after scoring a goal in Game 4.
Flash knock out. Boxers walk out of those in no time and it does’nt make a diff whether they’re boxers or not, it’s physiological.
The diving stuff does not fit the situation. Ask Chia, he looked at it the right way. It was desserving of a 2 min for unsportmanlike conduct that’s all. Could have cost the series though.
To dodge Halpern would have been easy and wise. Thrusting the shoulder forward was low. And can every body agree that the puck was a mile away from the play please, for once.
If that was NOT a dive, then why was he back in thew game? Either he was knocked partly unconscious and couldn’t get up and off the ice without help (in which case the Canadiens medical staff should call their malpractice attorneys for letting him back on the ice after missing what… one or two shifts?) OR it was a DIVE. It is still a “DIVE” even if a fall from a collision is real, as long as the player intentionally stays down trying to draw a penalty… So which is it Canadiens? Is it gross disregard for their own players serious head injury or was it just a lot of hamming it up for the refs? Anyone watching that game and that series knows the answer. Coward’s hockey from the Canadian French… Quelle Surprise…
Nice post, Patrick. I think you hit the nail on the head.
@RD you are absolutely right. Bruins fans, of which I am one, have gotten so used to screaming “DIVE” that we sometimes miss the obvious. You can tell by the way his head snaps that it was no dive. I have been hit like that and it knocks you loopy for a few seconds. Glad to see he shook it off and came back to tip in the winner (albeit into his own net).
Ference has always been a classy guy and quite an environmentalist/ humanitarian. The latter has drawn the ire of some fans in the US who equate any type of enviromental conscience as a left wing conspiracy. But he has always stuck by his beliefs and you have to respect him for that. Dude lives downtown so he can ride his bicycle to games. So the “equipment malfunction” and the “lean” into Halpern last night really seem out of character. Not to mention his explanation for the finger was laughable. He should have just stated the obvious. He is passionate about the game and got sick of hearing the “ole, ole, ole” song. He flashed the bird in Montreal? Sacre Bleu! I doubt there is a man, woman or child in that city who hasn’t seen that same salute at least 20 times a day. I lived there…it’s how they say hi to other motorists.
I am sorry your Habs lost, your comments are always well written and sensible, but I work with an office full of you guys and I am wearing my spoked “B” with pride today. I might find my tires flat when I get outside but it will be worth it.
I agree Nifty, not a big fan of AF here as well but you have to admit he has stepped up his game this year – and he is well liked in that dressing room for standing up for his teammates on many occasions
I’m really happy Ference wasn’t suspended or fined for letting Halpern run his face into Ference’s shoulder. I guess the NHL thought Ference shoulda dove violently out of Halpern’s way and let Halpern have a free skate at the B’s net hoping for a pass.
Stupid Halpern caused it by not watching where he was skating. He looks up, sees Ference, then looks the opposite way and continues to skate right towards him. Makes me think it was intentional by Halpern, trying to draw a major. Glad the refs and the league got it right.
I’m not the biggest AF fan but I have to admit that his fine and phone call hasn’t changed the fact he is playing well.
I agree, he is the second best D man behind Chara. I do have to admit Seidenberg had been strong since game 4 or so
Ever since the game w/o Chara Ference has brought his game to a higher level and is skating with and w/o the puck a lot better. It’s really nice to see and I hope it continues.
It wasn’t a dive. It just wasn’t a suspendable offense.
hard to suspend af (who was in BEAST MODE last night), when the dude he hit comes back to redirect the game winner. boychuk had a great hit on halpern too.
Glad to see the league got something right and didn’t buy into the dive.