We don't watch Wild hockey religiously like others do, but we did grow up with hockey bordering on religion in Grand Forks. We've seen a ton of games. We've seen a ton of cheap hits (that's for you, Swamptown). And we know a cheap hit when we see one.
With less than three minutes left in last night's game between the Wild and Edmonton, Taylor Hall absolutely delivered a cheap hit on Cal Clutterbuck -- one that made it, at least initially, hard for Clutterbuck to even move on his own.
Russo grabbed that picture last night, and you can see clearly how Hall leads with the knee or at least his upper leg, right into Clutterbuck's knee. Clutterbuck is vulnerable and doesn't have the puck. Hall was likely frustrated, and he took it out on the Wild player who, in fairness, often plays with an edge and frustrates opponents.
Hall has a disciplinary hearing this afternoon. Best guess: Suspension of 2-3 games. It's not a head shot, which would draw an even longer sit-down. But it is cheap enough to warrant multiple games.
Your thoughts, please, in the comments.
Also: If you want to read a counterpoint -- an opinion with which we basically disagree 100 percent -- here is David Staples from Edmonton on "Why I am OK with Taylor Hall's Dangerous Hit on Cal Clutterbuck."
