The Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks have developed quite the rivalry from their repeated playoff matchups. Going into their game on Tuesday night, the Blackhawks were looking to tie the NHL record for longest season opening point streak. The record was set by the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07 and that team went on to win the Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks won in a shootout 4-3, and Marian Hossa contributed two goals prior to this hit by Jannik Hansen.
Hossa was injured on a dirty hit by Coyotes forward Raffi Torres during the Stanley Cup playoffs and wasn’t cleared for contact until December, 2012. Hansen went to hit the puck with his hand and caught Hossa with a dirty elbow to the back of Hossa’s head. Hossa was down for a few minutes and had to be helped off. Hansen was given two minutes for roughing, and Hossa’s status has not been updated yet. I don’t want to believe that this was on purpose, but I don’t see how it couldn’t have been. Why would you throw your elbow out trying to play the puck? I’m guessing Hansen will have a meeting with Brendan Shanahan later this week. I feel bad for Hossa because he just got over a head injury and this is going to be devastating for the Blackhawks if he is out a while.
