Background: the Canadian women's Olympic hockey team has been playing a series of exhibition games against the Alberta-based boys AAA midget teams, as a tuneup for the Olympics in February. (I beleive the games count in the standings for the boys, so they're not "exhibition" games for the boys). The women have done pretty well in the series (8-3 record against the boys so far) but most games have been pretty close and it gives a pretty good indication of what calibre top-level international women's hockey is at - about the same calibre as AAA midget boys hockey in Canada.
Anyways, the games are played under women's hockey rules, which means no bodychecking - a factor which is no doubt a disadvantage to the boys. Last Thursday, however, Edmonton SSAC defenceman Dane Phaneuf - little brother of Dion Phaneuf and a Prince George Cougars prospect - forgot that rule and checked Canadian star forward Hayley Wickenheiser into the boards behind the net. Wickenheiser responded by grabbing Phaneuf around the neck and trying to wrestle him to the ice.
Funny stuff....especially when you consider that Wickenheiser is 31 years old and actually bigger (5'10", 170lb) than the 15 year old Phaneuf (5'10", 150 lb).
Women's hockey needs bodychecking allowed. Maybe not necessarily the big open-ice headhunting hits if they don't want that, but when a defenceman can't even rub out a forward behind the net.....that isn't hockey.
1 comment:
Hit? That was a hit? C'mon Hailey, if you can't stand the heat, keep staying out of the kitchen. And yes the women won. Whooppee. They are about .500 playing against 15,16,17 year old boys who don't have a clue how to play this panzy, no-hit, non hockey hockey game. Good on Phaneuf.
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