Respecting your Opponents...?

I'm sitting here watching the USA/Slovakia World Jr game and just watch Jason Zucker was just nailed with a blind side hit.  Earlier in the game Jerry D'Amigo was rocked with a high hit to the head and in the Canada/Czech game a Canadian was stuck in balls.  It brought up the question...Where has the respect for your opponents gone?  Hey I know all about hating the other guys on the team.  A month ago I told one of my River Rats players (now playing his season with L.A.) to talk a kid on Belmont Hill into coming to the Rats next fall.  His response was "after the game I'll talk to him, he's one of my best friends but during the game I hate him."  But that doesn't mean he's going to go out and try to hurt him intentionally.  These hits in the World Junior games have clearly had the intent to hurt their opponent.  Both games were blowouts and I know it's frustrating to be on  the losing side, but that doesn't give you the OK to go try to put a guy out for the year.  Maybe it's the way things are done in Europe.  I thought the North Americans were supposed to be the dirty players, but in this game the penalty minutes are 58-4 in favor of the Slovaks.  Maybe I'm missing something but I don't think I am. Can someone fill me in?