This just in, from a blog titled “Plaschke, Thy Sweater is Argyle”:
Plaschke, Thy Sweater Is Argyle: Oscar Moller, Meet Bobby Ryan
At worst, it’s a 2-minute minor for charging (Ryan received a 5-minute major for charging and a game misconduct), but let’s go over the ways in which the hit is clean:
* Moller has the puck
* Bobby leads with his shoulder
* Bobby keeps his elbows in
* Bobby makes contact with Moller’s shoulder
* Bobby hits Moller from the front
* Bobby does not make contact with Moller’s head.
He also didn’t spear him, butt-end him, stab him, punch him or say mean things (or maybe he did say mean things, I don’t know). However, here’s a rule that may have slipped your mind:
42.1 Boarding – A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who checks an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards. [emphasis mine] The severity of the penalty, based upon the degree of violence of the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee.
There is an enormous amount of judgment involved in the application of this rule by the Referees. The onus is on the player (or goalkeeper) applying the check to ensure his opponent is not in a vulnerable position and if so, he must avoid the contact. [emphasis mine]
See?
Bobby Ryan Annihilates Oscar Möller (via NHLArchive)