12/21/24
December 14, 2010
Rookie Linus Omark Sends NHL a Message: The showmanship displayed in a shootout goal scored by Edmonton Oilers rookie Linus Omark in his NHL debut Friday over the Tampa Bay Lightning has started a debate on hockey sportsmanship. "I play hockey for the fun of it," said Omark, who has scored other amazing goals abroad. "The fans pay good money to watch and they were happy. Then I am happy." Lightning player Martin St. Louis called the shot "a slap in the face."
Well, this being the NHL, if Omark's shot was such an affront to Toe Blake-fearing hockey purists the world over, he will likely pay a price for his sins. He might only play the Lightning once a year, but that's enough time for them to make their displeasure known without St. Louis bitching about it. If the rest of the league finds his actions similarly distasteful, they will let him know in their own particular idiom.
I thought it was pretty sweet, and in the grand scheme of showboating (ranging from the Crosby poker face to the Ovechkin "flaming stick") it was on the mild end.
posted by tahoemoj at 05:00 PM on December 14, 2010
I don't watch enough hockey for a particularly informed opinion - was the spin move such a big deal that he's going to get his ass kicked for it the next time those teams play? Showboating Lite if that.
posted by sbacharach at 05:09 PM on December 14, 2010
Sorry, can't see why Omark's little spin is any big deal. This goal was a lot fancier, although this move was actually an attempt to fool the goalie which worked.
No harm, no foul. Let it go.
posted by TheQatarian at 05:49 PM on December 14, 2010
The spin move certainly helped shake Ellis' 5-hole open.
posted by Hugh Janus at 05:53 PM on December 14, 2010
Ellis is just whining because he didn't stop the shot and lost the game. So to divert attention from his own poor play, he latched on to Omark's spin move.
I like how Ellis said the spin was embarrassing for Omark and not classy.
Ellis is the one that was embarrassed. He should have stopped the shot instead of being mesmerized by the rookie's move.
posted by roberts at 08:31 PM on December 14, 2010
I don't think it was the spin that faked out Ellis so much as it was the speed and stick tap right before taking the shot. Ever since the shootout went into effect in the NHL, there have been "fancy" shots. Like it a lot better than those old-style players that plod toward the goal and take the old standard shot of either five hole or upper corner.
posted by graymatters at 09:21 PM on December 14, 2010
Did he break the rules? No.
Did he interfere with the goalie during the attempt? No.
Did he point and taunt before/after the shot? No.
Then what the f*ck is the problem?
I find it funny that St. Louis called it a "slap in the face", considering he pulled a similar move a couple of times.
posted by grum@work at 09:35 PM on December 14, 2010
Yeah, nobody can out-conservative old conservative hockey players and fans. I elect to ignore them.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:50 PM on December 14, 2010
I dont see the problem with this and I watch a couple games every week. He wants to spin on his way down to shoot, go nuts. If he had not scored, we would be calling him an idiot and not a showboat. There are no rules regulation how you have to take a shot. I dont care if he does backflips on his way down the ice.
posted by Debo270 at 11:35 AM on December 16, 2010
Anything that inspires a Dean Youngblood reference is ok by me. Awesome.