Ward's side of the Walker sucker punch.

Very interesting look at the other side of the ugly game five incident from the person that was on the receiving end of the sucker punch by Scott Walker. So you have to wonder if Walker is lying, if Walker thought he was getting into a fight with Ward; why isn't his opponent ready to fight? If you watch the video you will see that Walker just grabbed Ward and punched him. You would think Ward would have thrown off his gloves and been ready to fight. If I am going to get into a fight I am sure as heck aren’t just going to stand there and get punched in the head.

Oh by the way; I like how Keith Jones from Versus didn't mention this last night when he was defending the non-league suspension for Walker's thuggery. If you’re a player that has had concussion issues in the past maybe he should think twice about hacking away at someone one else, what does he expect Ward to do? Kiss him? If I have learned one thing the Carolina fans and their media has done a lot of whining about the Boston Bruins that they didn't do during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoff run.

Ward: 'It's a joke' --- Aaron Ward, who is sporting a purple bruise under his left eye, spoke this morning for the first time since taking a punch from Scott Walker in the third period of Game 5.

"It's a joke. It's honestly a joke," Ward said of the situation.

Ward, who will play tonight, said he was tussling with Matt Cullen prior to Walker's punch. According to Ward, Cullen had slashed him across the legs. Ward was telling Cullen he didn't like the slash when Walker came in with a punch. Ward said he didn't see Walker and never exchanged any words with him.

"I don't remember a single word being said," Ward said of the exchange between he and Walker. "I was looking at Matt Cullen. The moment I saw his right hand was when it was about a foot away from my face."

Ward said a team doctor saw "something" on an X-ray and advised him to wear a shield.

"I haven't worn one in 16 years," Ward said. "I'm not going to start now."

Ward said he never spoke with Colin Campbell about the incident.