Did Osgood Get What He Deserved from Ribeiro?

Take a look at this video from Game 2 of the 2008 Western Conference Finals on May 10, 2008. Watch closely as Chris Osgood's arm jerks when Mike Ribeiro passes by. That jerking was Osgood's stick getting closer to Mike Ribeiro, and making contact with him.



Does this justify a slash in the chest over the net? Those on the Dallas side of the fence might say that Chris Osgood is in the wrong. He poked the wasps' nest and had it coming. But I want you to take a good look at Osgood's stick when it makes contact with Ribiero. It rattles pretty good in his hand, meaning he didn't have a very tight grip on it. (Speaking of poking the wasps' nest, what was Ribeiro doing so close to the Red Wings' net with less than a second to go in the first place?)

I understand that frustrations are running high. You and your team just lost a close game, and now you're down in that ugly 2-0 hole. You're heading back home to Dallas and will split games 3 and 4 (if you're lucky), only to come back to Detroit to lose in Game 5.

Now, with the game decided, the Red Wings goaltender appears to take a small shot at you as you skated by.

What do you do? You snap. You swing your stick at that goaltender and send a message.

What do you do next? You sit for Game 3, at least.

Let's not forget another goaltender that was on the ice and what he did during the game. He blatantly pushed his stick out and pulled the skates right from underneath a player. That was Marty Turco. Why didn't Valtteri Filppula get up and give Turco a mighty slash? Probably because he realizes he has another series to play, while Turco has tee times in a couple weeks.

Bottom line: Whatever contact occurred between Osgood and Ribeiro at the end of the game, a two-handed slash was not justified.