The Main Event

Wrong place, wrong time.

Max Pacioretty lay in a crumpled heap on the ice, the victim of a head first trip into the so-called “turnbuckle,” the Bermuda Triangle of hockey arenas, a dangerous stanchion standing where the benches end and the glass begins. Zdeno Chara, the Bruins’ All-star defenseman is charged on the play with a major interference penalty and a game misconduct for, shall we say, serving as tour guide on Pacioretty’s unfortunate jaunt.  

The league reviews the matter and determines that no further punishment for Chara is warranted, that he was making “a hockey play” and, as far as they are concerned, it just happened to occur at the wrong place and the wrong time. And the event sets off again the ongoing hockey debate that will continue to rage as long as the sport exists.

How far is too far?

On November 19, 2004, near the end of a Pacers-Pistons game, Indiana’s Ron Artest, enraged at having someone in the crowd toss a Diet Coke at him, ends up throwing a few frustrated punches at a Pistons fan. The ensuing brawl is branded by commissioner David Stern as “shocking, repulsive and inexcusable” and leaves nine players suspended for more than 140 games, including the remainder of the season for Artest.

During the 2000-2001 NHL season, Philadelphia Flyers fan Chris Trumbore is heckling legendary Toronto Maple Leafs “goon” Tie Domi after Domi, in the penalty box as usual, has just sprayed a water bottle at another Flyers fan. The glass gives way and Trumbore has the misfortune of falling into the tiger’s den with Domi, who naturally takes the opportunity to pin the heckler down and land a few punches. Not only does Domi receive no suspension for his actions, but he’s back playing later that period, and the fan, in fact, is the one ejected from the game.  

The handy website hockeyfights.com informs that there were 714 fights in the NHL last season, with at least one fight in 40% of games. Most of these ended in a couple of five-minute major penalties when referees finally decided the show was over and it was time to intervene.

Yet we are still “disgusted and appalled” when Marty Mcsorley strikes Donald Brashear in the temple with his stick in 2000, leading to a seizure and a Grade 3 concussion. Or we “don’t know what the sport is coming to” after Todd Bertuzzi sucker-punches Steve Moore from behind in 2004, knocking him cold and ending his career with a broken neck

And now, this is what has happened here again with Pacioretty. The young kid ends up with a fracture to the 4^th cervical vertebra and a severe concussion while some of the same hockey fans that stand up and applaud a long, hard-fought tilt demand the book be thrown at Chara. Sponsors threaten to boycott, criminal charges are filed, and the hockey world ponders anew about how something so savage could happen.

What the NHL and its fans need to realize is that theirs is a league that does not function like others. A primal aggression is perpetually on display that kids grow up watching, and in turn emulating as soon as contact is implemented in their development. The tolerance, and even encouragement, of this aggression breeds a mindset that becomes ingrained in every player that laces up the skates.

So we could say “wrong place, wrong time” or attempt to decide who is truly to blame for Max Pacioretty’s injury. Obviously Zdeno Chara violated the rules and was slapped on the wrists for it, but how are we to determine what is true justice here? It’s the chicken and the egg- what came first: our desire for extreme violence or the sport’s acceptance of it? And just how did they get so married together along the way? It may be time that fans are forced to declare, “I like the game of hockey more than the bloodshed.” After all, there are so many better venues to see a good fight these days.

It is somewhat fitting, though, that besides the Pacioretty incident, the only other place where turnbuckles are frequently mentioned is in professional wrestling. At this rate, the NHL may want to start cutting promos prior to games, like the ones in which “Macho Man” Randy Savage used to call out The Hulkster before a match.

“I’m coming for you Max Pacioretty! And when I’m done with you, you’ll be lucky to ever walk again. See you at the turnbuckle!”

And the crowd goes wild.