Ryan Kesler said of Andrew Ladd in a post-game radio interview:
“He’s a coward and that’s the way it is. It started last year in the playoffs. He hit me, cross-checked me in the face when I wasn’t looking. At least he was man enough to hit me when I was looking this time.”
Well Mr. Kesler, I deem you the coward. Ladd and Kesler squared off late in the first after the Canucks had a 3-0 lead. Neither is known to drop the gloves. According hockeyfights.com Ladd had no prior fights this season and Kesler had one (fight below).
Ladd landed a punch early, and Kesler bailed on the fight by lifting Ladd’s leg to bring him to the ground. He knew the refs would break them up once they were on the ice-surface, and that is a cowardly act.
The next time the two teams play on March 5th no one will remember the score, or that Antti Niemi was pulled after one period. The bad blood between the Blackhawks and Canucks is well known to the fans of each team, and goes back to last season. Kesler’s accusation is just another item on the list as to why these teams hate each other.
Ladd will have the March date of their next game circled on his calendar, yet again he might have the ability to let this one go, unlike Mr. Kesler.
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The point is NOT the fight on Saturday — it is Ladd’s blind side shoulder to the head / face of Kesler — when he was no where near the puck yet — in the playoffs last year — THATS what Kesler is talking about. Seriously one of the chaepest shots — to the head yet — that you’ll see. I saw it live at the time and have seen many replays. It should have been a major penalty, attempt to injure and a suspension to Ladd. The lack of call was and is appalling. Either people have poor or short memories or just don’t get it. Have a look at the tape, its been replayed alot!! So its not about who got one punch in or who won a consentual fight — Kesler has never been a good fighter — but he continued in that game last playoffs after Ladd’s cheap and dangerous hit to the head — it bears repeating — when Kesler wasn’t even looking — so that to me seems like toughness and nothing to do with fighting ability. As for Ladd, that hit was as close to the definition of cowardly as you could get. If someone applied a heavy blow to your face and head when you were not looking, or expecting it b/c, say you weren’t near the puck in a hockey game — would you call that cowardly? Would you respect the person who applied the blow? I like the Hawks, but that was a world class cheap shout by Ladd, well, well outside of tough and physical play, so I understand Kesler’s comments.
I saw the incident Kesler was referring to as well. Ladd looked like he collided with Kesler who didn’t have his head up. There was no malicious intent on his part, and no evidence of cowardice.
A coward is a person who refuses or avoids confrontation. Kesler fits the definition, not Ladd. Kesler lifted Ladd’s leg to bring him to the ice, allowing the refs to break up the fight. That’s a cowardly act.
Thanks for the comment, but I don’t see how Kesler’s comment holds any weight.
Can you point us towards a clip of the hit in question?