(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
It was called a dirty play, an unnecessary hit, and not very smart. That is how the St. Louis Blues viewed Mark Stone’s 2nd period open-ice check on Tyler Bozak. Stone was forced into a fight, meanwhile, Bozak didn’t return to the game.
Questionable. We’ll look at him tomorrow.- Craig Berube, Blues coach
Stone was given a two-minute interference penalty for the mid-ice collision and the Blues were awarded their third power play of the night. After the penalty expired, Vegas’ captain dropped gloves with St. Louis defenseman Justin Faulk. It was an uneventful fight but it looked as if both parties were satisfied. St. Louis sent their message, Stone complied.
We got into kind of a battle in the corner and his elbow came up on me. Then we just jostled coming up the ice and I slammed on the brakes to get in his way. I didn’t expect to fight afterwards. He came after me and we fought. -Mark Stone
It seemed the bad blood was left on the ice, until Stone’s check was brought up several times after the game by St. Louis coach Craig Berube and his players. It’s possible the Blues were letting off some steam fresh from watching the replay, and learning their teammate was questionable to play next game. Either way, it was clear none of them liked it.
It was a very unnecessary play and I hope the league is going to look at it. It was not very smart, It was great to see Faulker do that. I think Schenner was close too. I saw him look at the replay. A couple other guys were not happy with it. -David Perron, Blues forward
In 2015, the league suspended Stone for an illegal hit to the head, but that’s too long ago for him to qualify as a repeat offender. The sport allows a player to wipe their record clean 18 months after the suspension.
Stone was on the receiving end of a dangerous hit to the head back in 2017. Jacob Trouba was suspended two-games for a blindside hit to the former Ottawa Senator. Like Bozak, Stone left the game after the illegal blow from Trouba.
The hit can be viewed in several ways. Stone believes he committed nothing more than a minor penalty, nothing warranting the post penalty scrap. Obviously, the Blues were angry and wanted more than a two-minute penalty.
It wasn’t only current Blues players that were upset. Former player and broadcaster Darren Pang erupted on St. Louis’ television broadcast.
It’s a dirty play. This is a player that’s skating, the puck is nowhere near him. Stone’s not staying in his lane, Stone stops as if he had the puck. Let’s say Bozak has the puck, it’s a clean hit. But he doesn’t have the puck. -Darren Pang, former NHL goaltender
We’ve watched enough hockey to understand it’s an emotional sport. The Blues, Pang, and upset fans can have their opinions, however, it’ll come down to how the NHL’s Department of Player Safety viewed Stone’s actions. The NHL tends to pardon players who don’t have a long history of illegal contact. That is likely to happen with Stone.
Not that it needed any, but this incident adds more drama to an already highly-anticipated game on Thursday night.
Mark
Oh for God’s sake, it wasn’t anything violent. What a bunch of whining pampered bitches. Is this a joke ? Act like men here St. Louis. Men play hockey, understand ? They are over acting to get Stone suspended, no doubt. Mr. 1,9 million a year better step up and get some payback on Faulk, he attacked Stone for a hit that my great grandmother could of took. We need to nominate the Blews for an Academy award, better yet, they should play soccer, they could flip and flop all night. WTF !!!
Mike StG
Be nice to see what happened in the corner, before the video. Stone said Bozak caught him with an elbow in the corner, and on the early part of the video you could see Stone trying to avoid Bozak’s grabbing on to him. Looked to me like he was just trying to put an end to the grabbing and decided to just stop so Bozak ran into him and then push back. He wasn’t even looking over his shoulder at that point.
Mark
Bro you autistic or something
Dave
You honestly are sounding like one of the most whiney Vegas fans- it was a dirty hit, especially since he didn’t have the puck. You’re probably just upset cause you lost in the shootout. Get over yourself.
Jason
You sound smart.
B
Remember this comment when is one of your guys face first on the ice tomorrow night
Florida Man
A player should not be hit to the upper body like that when the player is no where near the puck. This is the result of the NHL getting rid of the enforcers in the game. In the past Stone would have been taken care of on the ice and not by the league. If the league now wants to be that enforcer they need to do it. I hope Stone pays for his bitch move.
Daryl
I guess you missed the elbow Stone took to the face before he retaliated??? Let’s see which player will step up and take on Reaves?
Tahoe
Men play hockey… so what do you play?
Joshua
Bozak must really good at keeping the act up then… missing several games an all…
Daryl
No, he’s just WEAK!!!
THE hockey GOD
it wasn’t a blind hit, but it was a cheap shot by any means- but that happens sometimes in hockey
Dave
Watch the very beginning of the clip where Bozak bodies into Stone as they come out of the corner — not nearly the same force of impact, but it’s essentially the same movement with Bozak coming out of his lane into Stone. Then they continue in contact until Stone returns the favor with a little more force. Not exactly like Bozak was blindsided by a player he wasn’t already engaged with.
Joshua
What a joke of an article. You should be embarrassed for defending this garbage… he deserves 5 games with his history of cheap shots.
Brian
It was a cheap shot and Stone knew it. Bozak was working Stone in the corner and he got PO’ed so he decided to cheat. Blues played big boy hockey last night, out hitting Vegas, Blues had more blocked shots and more take away’s.
The Kyrou move on Petro is exactly what St. Louis saw from Petro over and over in his time in St. Louis. Lehner was a train wreck last night and Vegas has 1 center capable of scoring more then 30 points. Theodore and Petro are going to be smoked when it comes to the playoffs. Outside of Martinez they have squat at D.
David
Dude……. I can’t…. Haha
EK
At most a Stone will get a fine, as has been said already, it wasn’t a blind side. This will ratchet up the intensity tomorrow evening for sure. I’d be surprised if #75 doesn’t see some fisticuffs at some point. I understand St. Louis players were upset but going after Stone later in the game was bush league, Reavo will set things right.
Jarvis
Going after the player that knocks out your player is bush league?? Nah not at all. If it was bush league then Reaves would’ve done something about it last night. Hopefully stone could gets blindsided without being near the puck to see if he feels different about what he did. Unfortunately player safety has left the doors open for somebody to get hurt tomorrow night.
Mark
He better, he should know his job !!
B
Ever heard every action has an equal and opposite reaction? Just wait until tomorrow and when one of your players is face first on the ice remember what you said
Daryl
You are funny… Pathetic, but funny
Daryl
We’ll probably see him doing a lot of chirping but don’t hold your breath on him dropping the gloves… it seems as though he forgot what his job is
hdbiker7851
I wouldn’t depend on Reavo setting things right he has been somewhat of a missing in action type player of late. Over paid for what he contributes.
Daryl
I should have read the comments before posting….
B
You are blind and a damn idiot if you think that hit with or without the puck is legal. Flip the tables and say it was Clifford laying a hit like that on Pacioretty there would be hell to pay. Anyone who says otherwise is a damn liar. Stone has been known to be a dirty pos.
Daryl
Need a tissue???
David
You don’t think that hit with the pick is legal?
Go back to your noncontract seniors league.
David
*Puck
Daryl
Come on David…. this is the new generation of hockey fans. They don’t like big hits, they don’t like fights… they think players should wear skirts and dance around on ice skates
Michael
Wow, just wow. The St Louis Blues and especially David Perron have to be the biggest crybabies in the entire league. Perron always has something to say and always runs his mouth post game whenever they face us. Last season, Perron was crying about a Reaves hit, saying that he’s dirty and deserves a suspension. No wonder why VGK got rid of Perron, they didn’t want to hear his temper tantrums everytime something didn’t go his way. If I were Mccrimmon/Deboer, I’d place Reaves on the Stone line for the entire game, because knowing the Blues, they’re going to try to legit hurt Stone tomorrow night because they didn’t get their way. I just hope to God the player who delivers the blow is Perron just so I can see Reaves knock his smart mouth into next week. Perron does not know how to pick his fights.
Stapleton
Someone needs to kick the crap out of Perron.
All the dude does is talk shit and score goals on us.
Someone needs to slap him around Reaves.
Daryl
I was surprised he wasn’t fined… it wasn’t a big hit at all but it did appear to hit the chin and chest at the same time. I’m also ok with players taking action themselves.
I was wondering where Reaves was at but then I remembered he spends most of his time on the bench running his mouth. We spend money on the man for a job and now he isn’t even doing that
DRock
Cry about Reaves not wanting to fight (his real team) when he knew Faulk was justified… Stone is the punk in this situation and deserved a fine at least. Obviously we know Perron is a pest. That’s why we love him and keep bringing him back! He is definitely under your Vegas skin. Don’t be bitter… its hard to beat you and the refs in Vegas. No suspension or fine means they are leaving the players to settle this on the ice. Time to show you exactly who we (St. Louis) are. LGB
Daryl
Already blaming the officials…. how pathetic!!!
LastWord
Hey Michael.. nice cup, fag.. never mind, you haven’t got one.. pussies don’t need them! That hit was as dirty as your knees and you know it.
Daryl
I see the grownups went to bed and now the little children have come out. Very mature calling someone a “fag.”
Doug
It was a cheap shot. Different if you have the puck but he was clearly trying to send a message to Bozak.
As for Perron – he’s a great player. Tough, gritty and skates hard all the time. And he does score. He’s always one of the last players off the ice and is well respected on the Blues bench.
Oh yea – he’s also won a Stanley Cup.
Christopher Marc Giesler
I love how Vegas has had an NHL team for a little more than three years, and suddenly they are all experts on hockey. Laughable.
Mike StG
Chris, what’s laughable is your assumption that all or most Vegas fans only know hockey since VGK. This city consists mostly of transplants (many retirees included), with large numbers from the upper Midwest & Northeast – hockey fans from everywhere who love the game and remained fans of their old home teams until Vegas got a team. Prior to VGK there were many Vegas residents who supported LAK or ANA as well. They didn’t create a large fan base so quickly from a public completely unfamiliar with the sport. Personally, I’ve been a hockey fan since the early 70’s, and was living in NY and a huge fan of the Isles when they won 4 cups in the early 80’s. You shouldn’t mock what you don’t understand.
Daryl
Exactly… I’ve been a hockey fan, a Pens fan, since late 70s. I became a fan of VGK thanks to Engo and MAF. To assume VGK fans have no knowledge of hockey is just plain ignorant
Scut Farcus
The one thing I’ve learned from reading this article/comments is that Knights fans are the most incompetent in the league; you guys make Predators fans seem smart. It was an unnecessary, nowhere near the play bush league hit, regardless of what happened prior. Is Perron a pest? Sure, most French Canadians are. Calling him a crybaby is almost laughable considering the Knights have the king of crybabies in the little French weasel Marchessault…..Vegas is a good team, but their fans, much like their captains Bozo haircut; are a bunch of inept clowns.
Daryl
You still crying about this???? It was retaliation from an elbow to the face. Funny how you call this bush league but the robots to the face was OK. If you cheap shot someone expect it in return. Real fans no this not tfe wannabe fans who cone around ever other weak. Maybe you should go watch soccer
Liz
Funny the supposed elbow to the face didn’t stop Stone from playing. That cheap hit has kept Bozak out since. He hasn’t played since that night because of a concussion. It was a dirty hit. Period. He might want to keep his head up Friday.
Daryl
“Supposed” elbow. It was plain as day. You can complain about what Stone did all day long but he isn’t the one who initiated any of it. So again keep crying. Looks to me as maybe your boy shouldn’t have started something he couldn’t finish. As far as keeping his head up, VGK has enough of the right personnel to handle whatever gets thrown at them