Buffalo Sabres Goalie Aaron Dell Absolutely Bundled Drake Batherson Last Night, Further Proving That Goalies Should Be Allowed To Get Hit
Okay so a couple of things here right off the bat. First off, that's a big time hit out of Aaron Dell.
Certainly scummy, and it sucks that Batherson ended up getting injured on the play. But if we're just calling a spade a spade here, that's a big time hit. Shoulder down, through the chest, wipeout.
Second off, I'm not exactly impressed by the Ottawa Senators that it took them until the post-game press conference to start addressing that hit. Seems like something that should have been dealt with on the ice right then and there. The Senators suck this season, and Drake Batherson has been one of the very few bright spots on that roster. I guess I can understand not wanting to give the Sabres any sort of momentum after going up 3-0 in the 1st period, but at some point you just have to put the score aside and throw your biggest maniac out there on the ice to make things even. Especially when a guy like Aaron Dell is starting to make a habit of this sort of thing.
Pick out an unsuspecting goal scorer and lay the dude out. But here's the thing--that's totally fine by me. I don't understand why a goalie shouldn't be allowed to drill someone going after the puck. Just as long as the other players out on the ice are able to return the favor. It should be like lacrosse where as long as the goalie is out of the crease, he's fair game. Don't want to get bundled? Stay in your net. If you want to be the Scott Stevens of goaltenders like Aaron Dell is turning himself into? By all means, go for it. It's 2022 after all. We should have equal rights for goaltenders by this point.
Sidenote: Great moment in the Ottawa Senators locker room after the game though. They just got done spanking the Sabres 5-0 and Austin Watson gets to celebrate 3 years of sobriety with the boys.
What's better than this? Guys supporting dudes.