Corvo Calls Turris' Hit 'Dirty,' But Julien Doesn't Expect Revenge
WILMINGTON -- As you might expect, Bruins defenseman Joe Corvo was not happy with the NHL's decision to let Kyle Turris skate free with no punishment, after the Senators forward left his feet to hit Corvo's head against the boards on Saturday night.
"I've been in the league for a while and I know not to complain about getting hit," Corvo said at practice on Monday. "I know I'm a player that, I play D, I feel like I'm not gonna take offense when I get hit. It's just when it's a dirty hit like that … but … that's all I gotta say."
While Corvo would be within his rights to seek some form of revenge on Turris in the Bruins-Senators rematch on Tuesday night, coach Claude Julien doesn't expect his veteran D-man to succumb to emotions.
"I think in Joe's case it was upsetting the way he got hit and I can understand some frustration there," Julien said Monday. "But at the same time, I think Joe, just like anybody else, knows how important it is to win the game versus doing anything else. Joe's a pretty smart individual. We need him on the ice, and he knows that. Those are things when you hear the final results of what's happened and you notice a guy doesn't get any [suspension] for it, it can be upsetting. So I understand where he's coming from, but he's gotta be bigger than that and I'm sure he will be."
The hit in question came 5:00 into the third period on Saturday night, when Turris hit Corvo in the corner. Turris was given a minor penalty for boarding and faced a disciplinary hearing on Sunday. Brendan Shanahan, however, ruled the two-minute penalty was sufficient penalty for the hit.
"After reviewing the video extensively as we heard Turris' explanation of how the play developed, we concluded that the head was not targeted intentionally or even recklessly and that the circumstances surrounding the hit contributed significantly to the amount of head contact that resulted," Shanahan explained. "We therefore have decided that there will be no supplemental discipline added to the penalty assessed on the play."
Julien's concern for Corvo's revenge is likely influenced by the potential absence of Johnny Boychuk, who was on the receiving end of a punishing, high-speed hit from Chris Neil on Saturday night.
