Tootoo Runs Miller, Was Buffalo's Response Good Enough This Time?

by Andy Boron on Dec 4, 2011 5:00 PM EST

Maybe every other team around the NHL secretly hates Ryan Miller. Maybe other teams really think Buffalo is so soft that they could do it again. Maybe Miller's just unlucky.

For whatever reason, last night against Nashville was Groundhog Day, but this time ~~Bill Murray~~ the Sabres figured out how to do it right.

In the second period of last night's game, Jordin Tootoo saw an opportunity to rattle Miller by driving hard into the crease, but Tootoo must have forgotten that he doesn't actually have the talent or skating ability to pull that off and the result was a hard collision from a leaping Tootoo right into Miller's face.

Buffalo's response was swift and violent, with Miller earning two points for the takedown and getting some good shots in on Tootoo's face with the glove hand. Paul Gaustad also lept right in an started throwing punches at whomever he could find on the bottom of the pile. Christian Ehrhoff and Matt Ellis were involved in the scrum as well, and Marc-Andre Gragnani was dancing off to the side with his chosen partner.

The result? A five minute major for charging and a game misconduct for Tootoo, and a four minute double minor to Gaustad for roughing. Gaustad also received a game misconduct for threatening Nashville goalie Anders Lindback with retaliation, which apparently was a preemptive penalty. And for the record, Goose got a whole lot of stick taps for his teammates while being escorted off the ice.

Check out the video of the incident here:

More thoughts on the hit and Lindy Ruff's response after the break.

Let's hear from Lindy Ruff first:

Obviously, Lindy is not happy, and with good reason. If Tootoo doesn't receive a suspension, it would effectively mean you can run a goaltender any time, any place as long as you said you were sorry. However, I don't see how there's any way he avoids suspension here because, unlike with Lucic, Miller was firmly planted in his crease this time. Yes, Christian Ehrhoff gave him a small push, but it's pretty clear that Tootoo could have done more to get out of the way than try to jump over a 6'1'' goalie. The goalie has to have some part of the ice he can call his own, and the crease is where most of the NHL blogger Illuminati believe Shanny will draw the line.

Now let's get to the Sabres response, which I don't think could have been much better this time around. I have absolutely no problem with Miller throwing gloved punches at Tootoo's face; if players are going to be running him every game then he's got a right to defend himself. (And besides, it's not like punches thrown with the glove still on are going to seriously hurt anybody.) If that were Tim Thomas, people would be applauding the fact that he's so tough and always stands up for himself, but because it's a guy who whines and weighs 170 pounds, you're going to get your fair share of haters out there. Personally, I loved it.

Paul Gaustad, too, backed up his words from two weeks ago when he said that the Sabres pathetic response to the Lucic hit "would never happen again." Gaustad almost got into a fight with the referee to get after Tootoo once they finally separated from the pile, and I loved his promise of retaliation to Lindback, even though he received a game misconduct for it. Fans clamor for the days of old-school hockey where problems were solved on the ice, and that's it right there.

Most importantly, however, was the fact that Buffalo won the game. Yes, they didn't look quite as dominant after the hit, but they still made it out with 2 points. And for a team that was 1-4-1 in its previous 6 games, it was nice to come out with the actual victory as opposed to the moral one this time.

What do you think about the Sabres response to this hit by Tootoo on Miller? Was it good enough? Do you wish they would have done more or less? Does the hit deserve a suspension? Let us hear it in the comments.

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Comments

I have to like how we handled our "net" situations last night...

We were clearing the Pred forwards from the crease every time they crashed the net, and we did it with authority. I think we probably should have been penalized more for what we were doing (a couple of horse-collars and punches), but overall, we needed to do that. Our #1 goaltender just came back from an injury than involved him getting hit by a forward, and we should protect him at ALL COSTS, no matter the situation, team or player. While the immediate post-Lockout NHL may have frowned on this, I think teams now need to have skill, toughness, and an attitude to win on a consistent basis (just see our Cup winners from last year).

Overall, I enjoyed our physical and aggressive protection of Miller last night. If we keep up that style, it will begin to send a message to other teams that:

1. If you crash our net, you will be cleared out.
2. If you touch our goalie, you will get roughed up.
3. If you hit our goalie, you will be pummeled.

I do not think it matters whether he meant to run Miller or if he accidentally collided with him…if a Sabre did the same thing, I would fully expect that the other team should come after us with the same ferocity that we showed Tootoo last night. The only thing I want is for this team to continue playing with that type of attitude…Ryan Miller IS our star goalie. He is a top 5 goaltender in GGVT (Goaltender Game Versus Threshold) since the Lockout, and he really needs to healthy during the season so that we can be a very successful team. I love how Enroth has played so far this season, but to have two goalies that good will only make this team better.

If we can continue that style of play for a few more games, teams around the league will see it as a trend and maybe they will back off from crease a bit. While it is their job, I do not expect that players enjoy being cross-checked and drilled every time they would get near our goalie. Of course I love skilled hockey the most (05-06 NHL season made me fall in love with hockey again), but if this is what it takes to win a Cup, LETS DO IT. One team in this town is committed to winning, and we should show it.

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by bgred105 on Dec 4, 2011 5:21 PM EST reply actions

I loved it late in the game when Ehrhoff, of all people, mugged a Pred in front of Miller who got too close for comfort.

"If we needed any more motivation to win a Cup sooner than later, we've got one now," Black said. "I really want to listen to the game that RJ calls when he finally gets to shout out, 'Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup.'"

by FloridaBuffalo on Dec 4, 2011 5:27 PM EST reply actions

You underestimate Tootoo’s abilities a lot. He was driving to the goal to score, not run Miller.

by DonBorvio on Dec 4, 2011 5:55 PM EST reply actions

What ticks me off most about this is though it’s an accident, is Tootoo’s reputation and the Lucic incident are what’s going to get Tootoo suspended in this case. Hopefully I’m wrong on that, but we’ll see what Shanahan says.

by DonBorvio on Dec 4, 2011 6:12 PM EST up reply actions

Then blame Shanahan for dropping ball in not suspending Lucic.

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by Ogre39666 on Dec 4, 2011 6:20 PM EST up reply actions

I do. And some else is going to pay the price.

by DonBorvio on Dec 4, 2011 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

someone*

by DonBorvio on Dec 4, 2011 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

Yes. And it was clear that that someone else was not going to be wearing a Bruins jersey.

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by Calvert on Dec 5, 2011 8:36 AM EST up reply actions

I think “accident” is putting it mildly. When I’m trying to avoid running into someone or something, jumping over them is about the 7th option on my list. You’re gonna have to be a former Lady Byng winner to get the benefit of the doubt on that play in my book.

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by Andy Boron on Dec 4, 2011 6:25 PM EST up reply actions

Ok, he can’t turn right because Ehrhoff is on him.
If he turns left, he would nail the net.
If he goes down, he still bowls into Miller at that speed.
Only option is to go into it and try to minimize damage by going OVER him.

by DonBorvio on Dec 4, 2011 6:46 PM EST up reply actions

Are you really trying to rationalize jumping over somebody as the best possible course of action in that situation? By the way you say it, Ehrhoff pinned Tootoo in until he ran into Ryan Miller. Ehrhoff barely touched him and there was virtually no pressure after the puck was swept away, which was a decent ways before Tootoo ran into Ryan Miller. To say it does not warrant a suspension is understandable, but to say that it was unintentional is preposterous.

by tpsabres on Dec 4, 2011 6:59 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Exactly. Hit Ehrhoff if you have to. If Tootoo was as uninterested in hitting Miller as he claimed, he could have turned right sooner, put his shoulder into Ehrhoff and go to the net with the puck. That would be a good strong, solid hockey play. Instead, he moved at the last possible second and went right into Miller. He had no interest in avoiding contact period.

by Philaster on Dec 4, 2011 7:04 PM EST up reply actions

I guess we just disagree then. I don’t see anything positive happening for Tootoo if it was intentional; he had no incentive to do so. If you think he did it “just because he’s Tootoo”, then fine – I’ve watched a lot more of the player and how he’s changed.

by DonBorvio on Dec 4, 2011 7:05 PM EST up reply actions

I’m not so narrow-minded that I would think he did it “just because he’s Tootoo”. He did have a reason, if a poor one, to do it though. The positive for Tootoo was to rattle Ryan Miller and the Sabres. Tootoo isn’t an idiot: he knows that when Lucic hit Miller, the Sabres went on to lose their lead and drop the game decisively. He was trying to swing the momentum of the game, except instead of hitting someone with a proper check he decided to cheap shot the goaltender coming off a concussion resulting from a controversial hit that garnered a lot of media attention. He thought he could get away with a close one and showed why he will never become an actor. Again, I’m not saying he should be suspended. People run the goalies

by tpsabres on Dec 4, 2011 7:18 PM EST up reply actions

Is that why he left his feet?

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by twoeightnine on Dec 4, 2011 6:29 PM EST up reply actions

I didn't watch the game but I loved what I saw.

You’re absolutely right about how if it was a different goalie people would be applauding it outright (and for my money, Thomas is a bit of a punk). Did it help that it wasn’t Lucic they had to go after and Chara wasn’t there to protect him You bet, but you couldn’t have asked for a better response from Gaustad, Erhoff, Tropp, Ellis, and even Grags.

And for those who want to stick up for Tootoo: one of the dirtiest players in the leauge, just so happens to make high-speed contact with Miller the game he comes back from injury through no fault of his own? Forgive me if I call BS.

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by Ogre39666 on Dec 4, 2011 6:24 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

First of all, Tim Thomas stands up for himself by waiting until someone who isn’t looking skates by his crease and then hitting them as hard as he can in the head. I respect Ray Emery’s way of standing up for himself much more than Tim Thomas’. But in all honesty, I’m not sure if Tootoo should get a suspension. People run into goaltenders all the time and get simple penalties for it, not to say they’re not slimeballs. I think Lucic’s play was far worse and far more dangerous than Tootoo’s because he put his shoulder into Miller’s exposed head. Also, Lindy Ruff sounds sooo awesomely canadian when he says ‘Joke’.

by tpsabres on Dec 4, 2011 7:08 PM EST reply actions

Yup, this:

Tim Thomas stands up for himself by waiting until someone who isn’t looking skates by his crease and then hitting them as hard as he can in the head.

Or he starts stuff but quickly ducks out of the way and lets Chara bear hug the guy into submission.

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by Ogre39666 on Dec 4, 2011 7:30 PM EST up reply actions

Accident or not, Tootoo is responsible for his positioning. Ehrhoff didn’t force him to make a sharp right turn way too late to get toward the net without bowling into Miller. It was a careless decision and deserved at least the one game suspension it received, if not more. However, the Sabres should’ve had more than a 1-minute power play from it. But I suppose the retaliation message was necessary if the league isn’t going to make a strong statement to discourage these types of hits.

by lassathrax on Dec 4, 2011 9:55 PM EST reply actions

Good enough, but...

… it might have been better if Kassian had gotten the green light to let loose a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying the offense. I just hope that he can help sort-out these peripheral activities, too. Someday, late in the game with the result more or less decided — and after having been mistreated a bit — I would be interested to see a Gaustad/Kassian/Kaleta line.

by chin8tao on Dec 4, 2011 11:19 PM EST reply actions

The game was never conclusively decided… Nashville cut the lead to one with a whole 90 seconds left, they could have won that game easily if Miller wasn’t stealing the show all night. Miller made some absolutely ridiculous saves to keep us in that game. If we started gooning it up we would have lost very quickly from all the penalties.

by lassathrax on Dec 4, 2011 11:31 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed

The game was still in the balance. Still, I really would get itchy with a two-goal lead. Send a message. Sometimes it may cost us a goal. Sometimes, it might keep the momentum on our side and save us one (or more).

Not saying I’m right — that’s just my mentality.

by chin8tao on Dec 5, 2011 11:41 PM EST up reply actions

Not a Sabres fan by any means, but I certainly appreciate the teams response to that as a fan of great goalies in general and a former goalie myself.

I especially appreciate the threat of retaliation, not because I ever want a team to go through with that retaliation by hitting the other team’s goalie, but if that does start to happen, teams will stop taking liberties with goalies very soon. They won’t do it if it comes at the cost of risking one of their own.

And fuck Lucic and the Bruins, amen.

by Hunter Durfee on Dec 4, 2011 11:35 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

You, sir, are always welcome here.

by lassathrax on Dec 4, 2011 11:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Hah, thanks. I’m a Habs fan, but I live in New England, so I deal with the Bruins “fanbase” on a daily basis. The number of times I got in arguments with people around here about the Lucic hit on Miller is ridiculous, and it never looks good on their part. There’s serious lack of hockey knowledge for the majority of their fanbase, but no lack of people who enjoy the type of play that Chara, Lucic, and co. engage in, i.e., the exact type of play the league is looking to get rid of.

But I don’t hate on the Sabres; I mean they may be a divisional opponent, but the current incarnation of the team (except Kaleta. I mean, really, who headbutts?) doesn’t really give me any reason to dislike them. Plus I don’t know any a-hole Sabres fans. I’m sure there are some, as there are for the Canadiens as well or any team, but they are much rarer than in many fan bases.

by Hunter Durfee on Dec 5, 2011 12:09 AM EST up reply actions

I can’t speak for all Sabres fans, but personally I find the Habs to be easily the least infuriating division rival. The only player on your team I dislike in any capacity is Gomez, but that is mostly related to some old dirty water that should be under the bridge by now. Plus your captain is from Rochester, so that’s pretty cool. As for Kaleta, most of us like what he brings to the team when he refrains from crossing the line, but when he does things like headbutting people, we all collectively shake our heads in disappointment. He can be a hothead at times but he draws a lot of penalties when he is on his game and his hits are clean 95% of the time. I’d certainly take him over a guy like Jarkko Ruutu or Chris Neil (assuming we share a mutual hatred of those goons). But I can totally understand the Kaleta hate from the other 29 teams in the league.

by lassathrax on Dec 5, 2011 12:53 AM EST up reply actions

Amen

Overall, I enjoyed our physical and aggressive protection of Miller last night. If we keep up that style, it will begin to send a message to other teams that:

1. If you crash our net, you will be cleared out.
2. If you touch our goalie, you will get roughed up.
3. If you hit our goalie, you will be pummeled.

That being said, I can see the League suspending Miller two games for leaving the crease. It doesn’t matter that the Tootoo collision forced him out.

Go Sabres!

by drwho62 on Dec 5, 2011 8:14 AM EST reply actions

Great read

and you can Never, Ever allow your goalie to be touched, much less run.
3 times in a few weeks is unbelievable.

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by Blood, sweat & Win on Dec 5, 2011 12:14 PM EST reply actions