Briere: "He was trying to hurt me"
Danny Briere said he would be the first to admit that Joe Vitale’s hit on Sunday in Pittsburgh, which sparked a near line brawl with just 1:03 left in a 6-3 game, was a clean hit.
Briere: "He was trying to hurt me"
Danny Briere said he would be the first to admit that Joe Vitale’s hit on Sunday in Pittsburgh, which sparked a near line brawl with just 1:03 left in a 6-3 game, was a clean hit.
But Briere certainly wasn’t willing to concede that Vitale’s intent was pure, searching for a hit that has ultimately ended his regular season prematurely.
Briere said on Tuesday morning that he believes Vitale was sent to the ice with the intent to injure. Peter Laviolette was fined $10,000 on Monday for his on-ice antics with Penguins assistant Tony Granato and his subsequent comments for coach Dan Bylsma, whom he called “gutless.”
“Look, everybody knows that (they) put the line that was on the ice, on the ice with a minute left in a game that was out of hand,” Briere said. “Everybody knows the intent, what the intent was. Was it a bad hit? No. It was a clean hit.
“But obviously, you knew what he was doing. He was obviously trying to hurt me. We all know that.”
Now, Briere said he “doesn’t have the option” of playing another game before the playoffs start. He is officially sidelined indefinitely with an upper-back contusion. He has undergone MRIs and all kinds of tests and is currently undergoing treatment for the injury.
We wrote more about Briere and Nick Grossmann's injuries, plus much more, in Tuesday's paper.
Briere said he is not sure when he will return to the lineup. There is never a good time for an injury, but Briere’s line with Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn was one of the Flyers’ most potent recently. The trio had netted a combined 19 points in the last 5 games alone.
“I don’t know much at this point,” Briere said. “All I know is that my back is in spasms. They have some fancy words for it that I don’t understand. There is no timetable.
“I’d like to be ready for the playoffs, I just don’t know at this point.”
Briere said he likely saved himself from a concussion since he was able to quickly brace himself before Vitale drove his shoulder into him.
“I tried to take the hit,” Briere said. “It’s just one of those things sometimes that turns out bad. It was weird. I was sore right after but it wasn’t that bad, I thought I’d be fine. A couple hours later, that’s when it started seizing up on me.”
With a score to settle, Briere is now hoping he will get another crack at the Penguins.
“There’s not much else to say or do,” Briere said. “I guess it just makes for a more entertaining series coming up if we face them in the first round.”
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS: With any overtime action in Tuesday's matchup with the Rangers, the Flyers will clinch a matchup with the Penguins. Home ice can still be flip-flopped in the final week. But one point won by New York or lost by Pittsburgh will clinch the No. 1 seed for the Rangers. One point won by the Flyers would lock the Devils into the 6th spot.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
Comment removed.- Crosby and Malkin both leave Saturday's game on stretchers.
— n62 - HA! Philadelphia Cryers in post-playoff form early! I guess every clean hard check comes with intent to injure now.— cor3yf
- The Pens have a long history of deliberately inuring opponents:
Matt Cooke cheakshots Marc Savard, sending him to the hospital: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-I5m4f0ZXA
Brooks Orpik hits Erik Cole from behind, breaking his neck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRMz6A6r5fs - Obviously Cooke has some indefensible acts under his belt. But I could go to youtube and find a ton of dirty Flyers hits over the years, as well as any other NHL team. But if the Pens are the dirtier team right now, why do Flyers have by far more penalties, both major and minor? And why is your best team ever (ancient history, HA!) known as the 'Bullies'??? — cor3yf
- The Flyers have a lot of penalties, but not the kind that deliberately injure opposing players. For you to say: "Cooke has some indefensible acts under his belt" has to be the understatement of the year.
Matt Cooke Unsurprising Choice to Top List of Hockey’s Dirtiest Players - http://media.nesn.com/2011/02/matt-cooke-unsurprising-choice-to-top-list-of-hockeys-dirtiest-players/9/
I notice you didn't say anything about Orpik's hit from behind that broke Erik Cole's neck.
Let's see you defend this: Then Penguin Gary Roberts punches John Franzen in the head after Franzen returns from a concussion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSGShYjQX2s
- as ive said these are the worst fans in all of sports not just hockey they do not understand the game they still thill think ulf samuelson and darius kasperitius were tough guys they think the shootout is good for hockey(keeps fans interersted) elimination of center red hs helped the game and that loaf mario deserves to be mentioned w/howe,gretzy and messier dont waste your breath BETTMAN RUINED HOCKEY AND MARIO HELPED! — pittsvilleflyer
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- Umm okay buddy. I wont resort to name-calling, but a reasonable argument instead. First of all- if you play a more physical style, which translates to more penalties, how do you have less hits then the Pens this year (yet lead league in major penalties and PIM overall)? And about the 'cheap-type' of dirty hits- you can probably find examples from any team, but this really was easy for the Flyers, thanks for the layup.
Here is a flying elbow from Danny "he tried to hurt me" Briere:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytoQr21PCCc
Richards from last yrs playoffs, knocked out Tim Connelly for 6 wks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SHMEVwHuG4
Jody Shelly, suspended 5 pre and 5 reg season games for this preseason hit. This one is disgusting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js1MyNjOwg0
Jones horrible hit on Bergeron from behind, ended his season in 07:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeWFsKPNw9Q&feature=fvwrel
And it's funny that you mention the "Bullies" name wasn't self-proclaimed. Is that supposed to be a favorable argument for your franchise?
You've been served, cuz.
— cor3yf - On the Richards hit Connolley turned at the last minute and the video with Jones was not a "horrible" hit.
Both guys were racing for the puck and Bergeron stopped short. It was not deliberate, unlike Cooke: His knee-on-knee check on Alex Ovechkin and brutal hit from behind on Fedor Tyutin further cemented his status as the league’s preeminent cheap-shot artist. That is added to last year’s unpunished viscous blindside head shot on Marc Savard and previous suspensions for head shots on Scott Walker and Artem Anisimov, plus a two-game ban for spearing in 2004. - So what about Shelly or Danny "he tried to hurt me" Briere's elbow? Nothing? And say what you want about Cooke's history, but you have to admit he has made a very conscious effort in changing his game this year. And you have nothing to respond to the rest of what I said, about how you have less hits but far more major and minor penalties than the Pens? You have the most penalties for and against your team- bating teams into ugly games is Philly's style- that is not debatable. You also gave Pronger a huge deal, who was known at the time as one of the dirtiest players in the NHL. — cor3yf
- Umm okay buddy. I wont resort to name-calling, but a reasonable argument instead. First of all- if you play a more physical style, which translates to more penalties, how do you have less hits then the Pens this year (yet lead league in major penalties and PIM overall)? And about the 'cheap-type' of dirty hits- you can probably find examples from any team, but this really was easy for the Flyers, thanks for the layup.Here is a flying elbow from Danny "he tried to hurt me" Briere:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytoQr21PCCcRichards from last yrs playoffs, knocked out Tim Connelly for 6 wks:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SHMEVwHuG4Jody Shelly, suspended 5 pre and 5 reg season games for this preseason hit. This one is disgusting:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js1MyNjOwg0Jones horrible hit on Bergeron from behind, ended his season in 07:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeWFsKPNw9Q&feature=fvwrelAnd it's funny that you mention the "Bullies" name wasn't self-proclaimed. Is that supposed to be a favorable argument for your franchise? You've been served, cuz. (HTML deleted) — cor3yf
- Um Ok "BUDDY" check your facts you dope !! typical penqueen uninformed fan. The flyers have the most minutes (1252) and PIM per game (15.8)not majors !!! While they are up there, they have 54 majors. Ottawa 55, Boston and NY BOTH with 63. In this part of PA 63 and 55 are BOTH Larger then 54. But then agian I didnt get eduacated in Pissburgh like you.... You Dope !!!! — Truphillyfan
