Gene Principe

For the second time this season I'm absolutely outraged and downright pissed off over something that has happened on the ice.

A hit to the head.

It was Sunday when Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke decided to show his manhood by drilling Boston's Marc Savard in the head.

An utter example of idiocy by belting him, shoulder or elbow, or arm, to the head.

I don't care what part of the body he hit him with. It doesn't matter to me. All I know is he tried to hurt Savard…badly. He tried to knock his head into Row 7.

Why?

To stop him? To send a message?

Maybe the purpose was both of the above.

What I don't understand is when did hockey go from being physical and aggressive to being downright violent for no good reason? I understand it's a contact game and things happen. Like what happened to Florida's David Booth after Philadelphia's Mike Richards sent him for a loop.

A very similar scenario, similar hit and we'll wait to see whether with similar results.

I wasn't happy when I saw Richards do that. He's better than that and he proved it by winning gold at the Olympics. I'm hoping it's a one time deal for him. If not then we'll really find out what kind of person he is.

As for Cooke, I think we already know the answer to that. Generally he stays one step ahead of the law and the opposition and is never to keen to back up his antics.

Even that I can live with. When it comes to a push, or a shove or a whack with a stick here or there, but what he did to Savard was unthinkable.

He wanted to hurt him and he did. Feel good about yourself Matt? I have met and spoke to Cooke on a handful of occasions and he has explained his ways.

Disagree or agree, I appreciated his side of the story. In this case his side of the story about being hit in a similar fashion earlier in the game is you-know-what.

He's played in the league a long time. He knows his role and whether you like his job description or not, Cooke understands what gives him a nice pay cheque every two weeks.

But please NHL, stop it already.

I'm not big on turning back the clock to the days of the Broad Street Bullies and the three-on-one fights, but that garbage didn't happen nearly as often. If it did, a guy couldn't stand there watching his victim being wheeled out after being knocked unconscious.

He would have to answer for his actions.

Shame on you Matt, you should know better.