http://cellar.org/pictures/niedermayerdown.jpg

NHL Hockey playoffs. New Jersey Devils versus Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs are ahead by two goals, with 7 seconds left in the final period. They are about to win the game, guaranteed. Tie Domi, seeing Devils' star Scott Niedermayer, puts his elbow up at face level and gives him a totally cheap shot, blind shot to the head.

The puck is nowhere near this activity, which is why no photographers captured it; although Sportscenter did show a clip of it.

Niedermayer ends up on the ice, not moving. Finally he is taken off on a stretcher. Five minutes later, he is able to get up and walk, but is described as "woozy" and "not himself".

The hit was a disgrace. Tie Domi is a disgrace. I'm not a New Jersey fan by any means, but if Toronto wins ANYTHING in these playoffs it will be undershadowed by their team idiot. No word on whether Niedermayer, who is one of NJ's best players, will be able to make it back for any part of the series. (The best-of-seven series is tied, 2-2.)

i'm no sports fan, but i am a torontonian, and i gotta say... at least the fans here are in the right headspace. everyone thinks this domi guy is a total goon. poor show. at least the fans have the heart to hang their head in shame at this entire load of bullshit.

and of course the worst part is that THIS is the story, not how the team has been playing...

He wouldn't be pulling stunts like that if Tony Twist were still playing. (And in fact, Twist just may have to come out of the broadcast booth to take this guy down.)

I can justify the hit that Scott Stevens made a few weeks back, because it was a legitimate hit. But this guy is the king of cheapshots.

Not like the Leafs or Devils will win it all anyway...GO BLUES! ;-)

And, of course, if anyone actually shows a willingness to <b>fight</b> Domi, he skates away. The only fight I've ever actually seen him in was the one against the fan who fell into the penalty box in the Big FU. Would he even <b>think</b> of squaring off against, say, Todd Fedoruk? Of course not.

Hell, he might run from me,
Z

Niedermayer was up and off the stretcher before they got to the dressing room and was making calls on his cell-phone within 10 minutes of the incident.

Let's not forget what Niedermayer did to Scott Worrell last year. He used his stick to try and decapitate that guy.

I don't condone what Domi did but stuff happens. If there was no instigator rule, this would have been sorted out two games previous when Niedermayer got his stick up on Domi. Is this better than fighting? I think not.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/s/2000/0321/438894.html