Bruins and Canucks - more controversy

This is the play that lead to one of the controversies from today's game, the refs gave Bruins forward Milan Lucic a game misconduct because they thought that "he might have" left the players bench to engage in a brawl/fight. The NHL reviewed the video and has rescinded the game misconduct penalty and they have ruled that Lucic was legally on the ice and and did not leave the players bench to engage in a fight. Much to the chagrin of the Canucks fans and Bruins haters Lucic will not be suspended by the NHL.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand will not be as lucky as Lucic as he probably will have a disciplinary hearing with Brendan Shanahan the NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety.

Let me be clear, I hate the Vancouver Canucks will all of my fiber, they are one of the most unlikable teams in the NHL with characters like Alex Burrows and Maxim Lapierre you enjoy watching their opposition pound them into the ice. That being said, this was an unneeded penalty at a critical juncture of the game, it's a selfish move and there was no reason to Marchand make that play.

There was a lot of discussion about this hit on Twitter, it's a dangerous hit but you can see that Marchand hits Sami Salo who is much bigger than Marchand in the thigh. Marchand's five minute major cost the Boston Bruins two goals and it was the reason the Canucks won the game. As far as what Marchand will get in the way of discipline, no clue. Due to the inconsistent ruling coming from Shanahan, you have to wonder if Shanny is using the Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice.

This turned out to be an odd event. The on ice officials probably made the right call by penalizing both players. I guess Wiese didn't want to get pounded by Bruins tough guy Shawn Thornton.

Douglas Flynn, NESN.COM --- Gregory Campbell did attempt to exact some retribution on Lapierre later in the first, squaring off for a long fight directly off the faceoff after Brad Marchand had tied the game. Thornton then dropped his gloves on the ensuing faceoff, but Wiese backed out of a verbal agreement to engage.

"He's said, 'Let's go,'" Thornton said. "I don't know if he was talking to me or someone else. [Referee] Donnie [VanMassenhoven] heard him and that's why he went with me [to the penalty box], I'm assuming. Donnie said, 'Wait 'til the puck drop,' I said, 'Of course,' and I heard [Weise] say, 'We'll go.' Maybe he was taking to Quaider [Adam McQuaid]. I don't know. Obviously I thought it was go time."

That proved just one of the many frustrations of the day as the Bruins were unable to continue their domination of the Canucks on home ice this time around.

Related articles

• Canucks vs. Bruins Fight Video: Watch Epic Brawl in Stanley Cup Finals Rematch (bleacherreport.com)
• Canucks win Stanley Cup rematch against Bruins (theglobeandmail.com)
• VIDEO: Canucks, Bruins Meet In Stanley Cup Final Rematch, Still Hate Each Other (sbnation.com)
• Hodgson leads Canucks past B's in Cup rematch (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

Bourque suspended five games

Former Wisconsin Badger Rene Bourque has been suspended by the NHL's Senior Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan for five games for a vicious elbow to the head of Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom this is after being suspended on December 19th by the NHL for his hit on Brent Seabrook. Apparently Bourque doesn't like playing against the Wild, because he has missed the Flames last two games against the Wild. Rene Bourque is a repeat offender and will have served a total of seven games of suspension.

NEW YORK -- Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque has been suspended for five games and will forfeit $203,252.05 in salary for delivering an elbow to the head of Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom during NHL Game #563 in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

Bourque, who was suspended last month, is classified as a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits his salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (185). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 10:06 of the third period. A minor penalty for elbowing was assessed on the play.

Bourque will miss games Jan. 5 at Boston, Jan. 7 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 10 vs. New Jersey, Jan. 12 vs. Anaheim and Jan. 14 vs. Los Angeles. He will be eligible to return Jan. 17 at San Jose.

Related articles

• Flames' Rene Bourque Suspended Five Games For Hit On Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom (tracking.si.com)
• VIDEO: Rene Bourque Suspended Five Games For Elbowing Nicklas Backstrom (dc.sbnation.com)
• Flames' Bourque suspended 5 games (cbc.ca)
• Bourque, Carcillo suspended for 'reckless' hits (thestar.com)
• Flames' Bourque suspended five games for hit (espn.go.com)

You can't say dumb with out Carcillo

There is this saying about "Karma"... Wow!!! If you haven't seen this; check out this moronic move by Chicago Blackhawks dunderhead Daniel Carcillo. Really?!? What the heck is this guy thinking? First, Gilbert didn't touch the puck, second Carcillo wipes out himself and Gilbert and hurts both of them. Like the Hawks announcer said, "that's going to be a suspension."

Edmonton Journal --- To make matters much worse, the Oil then lost top defenceman Tom Gilbert to a reported knee injury after he was grossed out by Hawks’ instigator Daniel Carcillo on a dirty and dangerous hit into the end boards.

The boards were still rattling when the Hawks play-by-play man Tom Foley called it as he saw it. “Oh, that’s gonna be a suspension. Danny Carcillo put Gilbert badly into the end boards, and Dan Carcillo is going to have a meeting with Brendan Shanahan.” Good call, Tom.

It will come as no surprise to hockey observers that Carcillo, a noted cheap shot artist, would be considered a repeat offender. He’s been suspended five times since 2008 including twice in 2011, the last of which was a dangerous hit from behind on Joni Pitkanen that bore more than a passing resemblance to the Gilbert hit.

Related articles

• Schuster: Carcillo Costs His Team Big Time (chicago.cbslocal.com)
• Dan Carcillo gets ejected for hit on Tom Gilbert (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Oilers win chippy game against Blackhawks (cbc.ca)

Raffi Torres is at it again.

Raffi Torres is a dirty and reckless players and if you watch this video, you probably have come to the conclusion that Torres should have been suspended a long time ago and for a very long time. The next time this guy hits someone in the head, and it will probably be next week, he should be gone; suspended for 10 games this time.

Last week we had Torres doing this despicable act.

This is the proper response for someone that hits one of your fellow players in the head, this is called sticking up for your fellow players, instead of waiting for the refs to make the call. Nothing pleases me more than watching Adam McQuaid work Raffi Torres like a punching bag.

Let's not kid ourselves, Raffi Torres is notorious for racing all over the ice, taking unneeded runs at guys, many times Torres hits players with dirty hits like this hit on Brent Seabrook last spring during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

It's about time this gutless puke pays for his act of transgression on the ice. You can hit someone hard and make a good body check without having to hit a opponent in the head. Nice to see that Brendan Shanahan has gotten it right twice in the same week. Some Day Torres is also going to get what he has coming to him, you would have thought he would have learned his lesson when Adam McQuaid beat the tar out of him.

Related articles

• Adam McQuaid works Raffi Torres like a clown (mvn.com)
• Coyotes' Raffi Torres fined for head shot (theglobeandmail.com)
• Adam McQuaid fights angry, beats the hell out of Raffi Torres (ballhyped.com)
• Phoenix Coyotes' Raffi Torres fined $2,500 for hit on Colorado's Jan Hejda (thehockeynews.com)

Ian Cole suspended three games for hit on Justin Abdelkader

After blowing a bunch of calls against the Minnesota Wild since November 30th, 2011, but that's another story, Brendan Shanahan the NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations has finally made the right call again. This suspension was a no-brainer and Cole had to suspended or Shannahan would have lost all of his credibility. The Blues General Managers didn't think the hit was a reckless hit.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said he respected the NHL's decision, but he disputed the notion that Cole's play was reckless.

"I don't think it was a reckless play...I think it was a hockey play that was legal 12 months ago that's not legal today," he said. "I understand the sensitivity on hits to the head and we respect that, but I support Ian in the sense that it was a play that (Abdelkader) coming across the middle has to be aware, and unfortunately he wasn't. [stltoday.com]

Here is the suspension video.

Related articles

• Blues Ian Cole Suspended For Three Games For Hit To Justin Abdelkader (stlouis.sbnation.com)
• Blues D Cole suspended three games for hit to the head (tsn.ca)
• Blues' Cole delivers head hit to Red Wings' Abdelkader (aol.sportingnews.com)
• Blues defenceman Cole suspended 3 games (cbc.ca)

Penguins' Goon Engelland suspended for three games

NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan threw the book at Deryk Engelland. I think this is the right decision and yesterday I said, "In my opinion you can expect a 2-4 game suspension would be the proper call." Shanahan had no choice in this case, you can not leave your feet to check a player and hit them in the head.

NEW YORK -- Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Deryk Engelland has been suspended, without pay, for three games for an illegal check to the head of Chicago Blackhawks forward Marcus Kruger during NHL Game #488 in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Dec. 20, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Engelland will forfeit $9,189.18. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 8:55 of the first period. No penalty was assessed on the play.

Engelland will miss games Dec. 23 at Winnipeg, Dec. 27 vs. Carolina and Dec. 29 vs. Philadelphia. He will be eligible to return Dec. 31 at New Jersey.

Related articles

• Penguins' Deryk Engelland Suspended Three Games For Illegal Hit On Blackhawks' Marcus Kruger (tracking.si.com)
• Pens' Engelland handed three-game ban (canada.com)
• Deryk Engelland will get a call from Shanny (mvn.com)

The NHL watching the Bruins because they play too rough

Gunning Sports

This is what hockey is starting to become; we now have the National Hockey League watching the Bruins because they play “too rough” for some. When the Boston Bruins are affective they are taking it to their opponents. The Bruins will beat you up on the ice and on the scoreboard as well.

Doug Flynn; NESN.COM --- Playing by the rules has been difficult for the Bruins this season, or at least playing by the rules as they have been applied to Boston's games. The Bruins may have avoided a few suspensions prior to Lucic's one-game ban on Monday, but they have certainly picked up more than their fair share of penalties this year. Boston has been called for 505 total penalty minutes, an average of 15.8 a game. Only Philadelphia (529, 16.5 a game) has spent more time in the sin bin.

Some of that has been accounted for by the Bruins' willingness to drop the gloves. They're tied for the league lead in major penalties with 25, with 23 of those being matching majors for fighting. But Boston also leads the NHL with eight misconduct penalties and is one of just three teams with multiple game misconducts so far this season, as referees have shown they have a very short leash for the Bruins' aggressive tactics.

The Bruins don't have any individual players in the top 10 for penalty minutes, but four Bruins are in the top 25 with Lucic 11th (63 PIMs), Marchand tied for 15th (58), Shawn Thornton 22nd (49) and Chara tied for 25th (47).

The Bruins haven't been officially warned to curb their style of play, but the numbers show there is definitely a crackdown on teams trying to playing an intimidating, physical style like that employed by the Bruins.

I had a feeling that Milan Lucic would be suspended for his hit on Zac Rinaldo, while the hit wasn’t as egregious as many that had gone unpunished this season, Brendan Shanahan NHL Senior Vice President Player Safety had to suspend him to placate the black helicopter fans that think the NHL is in bed with the Boston Bruins.

Habs spared the wrath of Lucic, Lucic suspended for one game

After watching the NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan and his ruling today I have come to the conclusion that there is no consistency in his ruling. Milan Lucic was suspended today for boarding Flyer goon Zac Rinaldo. Rinaldo didn't even think the hit deserved a penalty on the play.
Lucic drew a five-minute major and game misconduct, yet Rinaldo doesn’t feel that was warranted.

“It’s hockey, you hit and go into the boards, I don’t think it was dirty at all,” Rinaldo said. “Shoulder-to-shoulder and just momentum. He’s big guy, maybe double my weight. His momentum carried him into the boards awkwardly. I don’t think it was dirty at all.”

He added: “Should–to-shoulder, that’s fine, that’s cool. I don’t mind it at all.”

Then why, after a scrum developed, did Rinaldo leave the pile trading punches with Nathan Horton?

“I don’t know, I got up and he was first one in front of my face,” Rinaldo said. “I knew I was Lucic [who hit me].” [CSNPhilly]

After watching the NHL fail to suspend Dion Phaneuf's for his hit on Zach Kassian, which was more egregious in my opinion, you would have thought that Lucic would get off without a suspension. So go forward, the fans have no clue what is going to get a players suspended and what is not.

Related articles

• Milan Lucic hit on Zac RInaldo (mvn.com)
• Will Lucic be suspended? (mvn.com)

Video: Rene Bourque boards Brent Seabrook.

Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque received a five minute major for checking from behind and a game misconduct for driving Brent Seabrook through the boards in tonight's game. Seabrook did not return to the game and suffered an upper-body injury. Former Fighting Sioux and current Blackhawk forward Jonathan Toews was less than impressed with Bourgue's hit on Seabrook.

“It comes down to respect,” Jonathan Toews said. “You hit guys when it’s a clean situation. Head shots and head injuries aren’t going anywhere if we’re going to keep making plays like that. And that goes for everybody around the entire league.”

If I was a betting man, I would say that you can expect that Rene Bourque will be receiving a phone call from the NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan for his hit on Brent Seabrook, I would also predict a suspension for the hit as well.

Related articles

• Blackhawks D Seabrook out vs. Flames with injury (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Video: Bourque tossed for boarding Seabrook (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Seabrook knocked out of game with upper body injury (tsn.ca)
• Blackhawks' Seabrook leaves after hit to head (espn.go.com)
• Flames' misery continues in Windy City (sports.nationalpost.com)

Will Lucic be suspended?

Bruins forward Milan Lucic has a hearing Monday for his hit on Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo, the big question is, will Lucic be suspended for his hit on Rinaldo. I would have to say, based on what I saw in a recent ruling by Brendan Shanahan; comparing Dion Phaneuf's hit on Zach Kassian and Milan Lucic's hit on Zac Rinaldo, I would say no, this hit was not as bad as that hit.

Related articles

• Milan Lucic hit on Zac RInaldo (mvn.com)
• Dion Phaneuf not suspened for hit on Zach Kassian (mvn.com)
• Dion Phaneuf plants Zack Kassian into the boards. (mvn.com)

David Krejci hit on Mark Stuart

So the question is, will David Krejci get a call from Brendan Shanahan and the NHL Department of Player Safety? What do you think? There was no penalty call for the hit, Krejci was given a penalty for roughing after engaging with the Jets Zach Bogosian.

Gregory Campbell and Pittsburgh's Joe Vitale fight

I think teams had better take notice around the NHL, this is what happens to you when, you take a run at the Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. This is the correct response to said moment of stupidity by the Penguins Joe Vitale, hence the ensuing fight between Gregory Campbell and Joe Vitale.

Seriously, If players around the NHL think they are going to take a run at the Bruins net they're going to get the full wrath of angry bear. The Boston Bruins don't have to wait for the Brendan Shanahan and the NHL Department of Player Safety, they will take the matters into their own hands and settle it on the ice like men. This is one reason that I don't like the idea of taking fighting out of the game of hockey. It keeps players honest and the players will police the game via the hockey code.

I think that Pittsburgh's Joe Vitale will think twice before coming into the Bruins crease next time because Tim Thomas will also protect said crease.

Tootoo suspended two game by the NHL.

I had a feeling that Jordin Tootoo would be suspended by the NHL for his hit on the Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. I believe that the National Hockey League had to make an example out of Jordin Tootoo. This also gave Brendan Shanahan and the NHL Department of Player Safety a way to save face as well for failing suspending Milan Lucic for running over Ryan Miller in a game earlier this season. Incidentally, this was also the first game back for Ryan Miller after being injured on the hit by Milan Lucic.

Can you imagine the outcry from the Buffalo Sabres camp if Predators forward Jordin Tootoo had not been suspended by the NHL? The league had to suspend Tootoo or they would be giving off the impression that goalies in the NHL are fair game and that a player can run over a goalie if they feel compelled to do so.

NEW YORK -- Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo has been suspended, without pay, for two games for charging Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller during NHL Game #379 Saturday night, Dec. 3, in Nashville, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today.


Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Tootoo will forfeit $13,513.52. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.


The incident occurred at 15:54 of the second period. Tootoo was assessed a major penalty for charging and game misconduct on the play.


Tootoo will miss games tonight vs. Phoenix and Dec. 8 at Columbus. He will be eligible to return Dec. 10 vs. Anaheim.

Max Pacioretty hits Kris Letang in the head.

Montreal Canadians forward Max Pacioretty has a phone call from Brendan Shanahan on Monday, I am going to say that Pacioretty gets a one - two game suspension for this hit on Letang. This is the type of hits that the NHL is trying to eliminate. The impressive fact was that Letang went to the locker room and had his nose set and then returned to the game to score the game winning goal in overtime.

Montreal forward Max Pacioretty will have a phone hearing with the NHL Monday morning for his hit on Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang during the third period of the Penguins' overtime win in Montreal Saturday night.[NHL.COM]

Here is what the Montreal Gazette has to say on the matter. Notice how the Montreal paper had to mention the Chara hit when bringing up this issue. I don't think that fact is going to help Pacioretty in this instance.

— Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty faces a phone hearing with NHL disciplinarian for a head hit that broke the nose of Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, according to NHL.com.

Letang, hurt in the third period, returned in overtime and scored the winning goal. He said after afterward that Pacioretty apologized to him.

Pacioretty returned this season after breaking a neck vertebra when Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara checked him into the end of a glass partition in March. That play didn’t draw a suspension.

Related articles

• Habs’ Pacioretty faces hearing for hit (theglobeandmail.com)
• Canadien Pacioretty faces hearing over hit on Pens' Letang (vancouversun.com)
• Canadien Pacioretty faces hearing over hit on Pens' Letang (canada.com)

Chris Stewart gets suspended for three games.

You would think that after the first three or four of these suspensions that the players in the NHL would get the message; if the player is facing the boards you can't hit him. Someone is going to get maimed for life by one of these checking from behind plays. 

I guess we are going to keep seeing these videos from the NHL until the players in the NHL get the message. In this case Chris Stewart absolutely destroys Detroit's Niklas Kronwall. 

Related articles

• Blues' Stewart Banned Three Games for 'Reckless' Hit (nytimes.com)
• Chris Stewart has a phone date with Brendan Shanahan this morning (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Blues' Stewart banned 3 games for Kronwall hit (espn.go.com)
• St. Louis Blues Forward Chris Stewart Suspended Three Games For Hit on Nicklas Kronwall (tracking.si.com)
• Blues Beat Red Wings 2-1 (sports4stlouis.wordpress.com)

So how long are the Sabres going to whine about the Lucic hit.

We should have called the Lucic hit on Miller shot heard round the world. Every since Milan Lucic ran into or over Ryan Miller ("potato potato" right) the hockey pundits are gnashing their teeth over what should've happened to Milan Lucic.   

Now you can expect the next player that has a major collision with a goalie to get the book thrown at them. While I am not suggesting that we run goalies; collisions between players and goalies are going to happen, one might say that it goes with the territory, being a goalie is hazardous duty. I might even call it collateral damage. 

If a goaltenders comes that far out of their crease to play a puck, their stepping into the kitchen, to borrow a football term. I think Miller is in a way part culpable for his injury. Does it make things right, not at all, there is going to be some hurt feelings, you can count on it. I think the rematch of this game is going to be a must see and there will be a lot of DVR set just in case something happens and there will, because the "hockey code" demands it.

Dan Rosen - NHL.com --- Buffalo GM Darcy Regier suggested that a majority of the general managers have told him that Lucic should have been suspended.

"Well, based on our conversations in the room, I personally believe it would be," Regier said. "It is not just my feeling, it is the feelings of my counterparts."

Shero suggested that at the very least a major penalty could have been called on Lucic.

Rule 42.3 on charging allows for a major penalty to be called at the discretion of the official "based on the degree of violence of the check." There is a similar stipulation associated with Rule 69.2 on interference with a goalkeeper.

Shanahan confirmed to NHL.com that he did have a discussion with the League's Director of Officiating, Terry Gregson. The conclusion was that a major penalty may have been an appropriate call in that case, but again it is up to the discretion of the on-ice officials.

Right on cue you could have predicted the response. Post decision from Shanahan, all of the arm chair disciplinarians wanted blood and when they got none they went off. Much to their dismay, NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan failed to give a suspension or even a fine to Milan Lucic. They felt like they had been cheated, they wanted their pound of flesh. Almost on cue, you could hear the howling from Montreal, Buffalo and points elsewhere. The Big Bad Bruins had beaten the wrap again.

Then the tin foil hats came out and suggested as long as Greg Campbell is a member of the Boston Bruins nothing is going to happen to any of the Bruins players. They claim its because Colin Campbell is part of the front office stat. I am not lying, I saw something along those line from a beat writer of a major metro newspaper say that. 

Today we see Ryan Miller still rehashing the non-punishment with the media. My question is, how long are the Sabres and Ryan Miller going to complain about this. They would be better off to challenge Lucic to a fight and be done with it. Now they have this hanging over their head. Think about this, with one collision the Lucic and the Boston Bruins are in the Sabres heads.