Saturday, December 8th, Boston
Saturday night the hockey world found itself in another standoff when Zach Hyman of the Toronto Maple Leafs took it upon himself to answer a bell rung by Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins. Early in the first period of the game between the original six rivals McAvoy delivered a nasty cross check to the back of Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mich Marner. Immediately McAvoy was given a penalty and suffered a few face washes from Leafs players coming to the aid of their teammate.
Later in the third McAvoy made a pass behind his own net un-aware of the forechecking Hyman who saw a chance to deliver some retribution. The following happened.
Zach Hyman hit on Charlie McAvoy
Can anyone tell me how this is different from Ryan Reeves hit on Tom Wilson? Both hits are late, to the blind side of the player after a pass. Yet people are calling Ryan Reeves a hero and those same people are villainizing Zach Hyman.
If your argument is that Tom Wilson is a dirty player with a history then fine, but the argument is dumb. He is a human being with a brian who will have to live the majority of his life after he is done playing the game. So any ill will you wish on this person is cynical.
Its essentially the same type of “hockey play” that turns this game into a street fight on skates. Someone takes liberty with a star player, then they have to answer the bell from someone who matches them in size and strength. Then it becomes a finger pointing contest as to who’s at fault. The instagrator who drew the eye of the goon, or the goon delivering vigilantly justice.
So what do you think now Ryan Vojtash? Was Hyman in the right to deliver the cheap shot? Or is there some convoluted way that you can justify Ryan Reeves and not Zach Hyman? Perhaps it’s because you share a first name that Reeves? Who knows…
If you need to re-read Ryan Vojtash article on the Ryan Reeves hit it can be found here.
