One way to eliminate vicious hits to the head in the game of hockey is to suspend players who delivered a check to the head of an opposing player. That has been the strategy adopted by the NHL disciplinary committee.
Another way that players can eliminate the problem of head-shots in the game of hockey is by simply keeping their head up while on the ice, especially when the Detroit Red Wings’ Niklas Kronwall is out there. Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers learned that first hand last night, as he attempted to pick up a puck along the boards and break out of his own zone with his head down, but was flattened by one of Kronwall’s patented bone-crushing checks.
You’d think the Flyers’ players would be aware of Kronwall’s presence on the ice following his hit on Danny Briere one month ago. Unfortunately for Voracek, he missed that game, making last night’s meeting the first between him and Kronwall this season. And what an unpleasant meeting it turned out to be.
Check it out.