Campus Philly

As March ends, the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoffs are about to begin. But instead of the media focusing on post-season match-ups, critics are spending their time on another ice-related event. One player savagely attacks another, sending him to the hospital and an early retirement. The example is specific, and yet has been seen a dozen times in the sport, in forms such as Marty McSorley’s high stick, Dino Cicarelli’s slash to his opponent’s head, and Dale Hunter’s cheap shot. And in the media’s eyes, all this is due to legal fighting.

Media coverage has increased exponentially as such incidents hit the front page, giving the sport a black eye in each case. Sports writers, who generally wouldn't know what icing is, begin writing extensively about the terrible shape that hockey is in; the blame placed on fighting as the source of these violent outbursts.

It seems the truth has been left out in the cold concerning the violence issue. Fighting is an integral part of the sport since its inception. Yes, it is legally allowed with little restriction in the official rule book. Where the lines of truth are blurred is that fighting is in no way connected to the violent acts committed in recent years.

As a highlighted example, the recent attack on the Colorado Avalanche’s Steve Moore is one of the most despicable acts the NHL has seen, and yet has no links to fighting as the cause. Vancouver Canuck forward Todd Bertuzzi put Moore in the hospital with a broken neck. Bertuzzi’s reasoning was retaliation for a check that injured his line mate several months prior to the game. There was no fight with Steve Moore before sucker punching him; Bertuzzi hit him from behind.

To hit a player from behind or sucker punch him is very different from an actual - or acceptable - fight; it breaks an unwritten code within the game of hockey. Both result in penalties, and such cheap shots are frowned upon by the League’s players. Casual sports writers who are less familiar with the sport may scoff at this code, and easily mistake and relate fighting and unsportsmanlike play for the same thing.

The media’s lack of understanding only hurts the correction process when an intolerable action occurs. The NHL does its duty as a governing body to police the actions of players who step over the line. Heavy suspensions are often issued for such acts (for example the punishment Todd Bertuzzi is facing). The players also have a way of self-governing on the ice. When a player crosses the line between fair policing and unfair retribution, everyone involved speaks out against the unfair act.

But uneducated critics within the media point to fighting as the reason for these heinous acts. There are those who attempt to analyze the situation justly, but it is overshadowed by the flood of finger-pointing media. This not only hurts the game by jeopardizing an essential piece of every hockey contest, but it also misinforms the only occasional fan. Budding fans may turn away from the sport in disgust upon sight of such behavior, and the sports’ reputation is greatly jeopardized. The truth needs to be told. Hopefully, those making the mistakes will realize their error and put themselves in the penalty box.