Canucks' Goon Rick Rypien apologizes for grabbing fan during NHL game

Yawn! Rypien is probably only sorry because the NHL told him he has to be, I do believe his sentence from the NHL was a slap on the wrist and should have been in the 10-20 games area.

VANCOUVER - British Columbia - Canucks forward Rick Rypien has apologized for grabbing a fan during a game last week.

Rypien is serving a six-game suspension for making contact with James Engquist during a game against the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul on Oct. 19.

"I know what I did was wrong," Rypien said.

Rypien was headed to the locker room Tuesday night after being assessed a double minor for roughing and 10-minute misconduct when he reached up and grabbed Engquist, a fan applauding at the railing. Rypien was pulled away by teammate Manny Malhotra and coach Alain Vigneault. Engquist and his brother, Peter, were removed from the area.

The Canucks also were fined $25,000, as required by NHL policy.

Canucks' Goon Rypien suspended six games

I think that Canucks Hack/Goon Rick Rypien is getting off lightly for his classless act that took place this past week. There is no reason to try to attack a fan that is sitting in the stands. If I had been the NHL commissioner I would have thrown the book at this moron. I think anything less than 10 games is a travesty. Apparently, James Engquist the victim of the assault isn't all that please with the ruling.

NEW YORK -- Vancouver forward Rick Rypien was suspended for six games by the NHL on Friday, punishment for his altercation with a fan during Tuesday's game in Minnesota.

Including the game already served while Friday's hearing was pending, Rypien will be eligible to return to play Nov. 6 against Detroit. The Canucks also were fined $25,000, as required by League policy.

"Prior to each season, all clubs and players are advised that under no circumstances are club personnel permitted to have physical contact with fans, or enter, or attempt to enter the stands," Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "We hold NHL players to a high standard, and there simply is no excuse for conduct of this nature. Fortunately, this incident is not typical of the way NHL players conduct themselves and is not typical of the way Mr. Rypien had conducted himself during his career."

Rypien made contact with the fan as he was heading down the tunnel to the dressing room at the Xcel Energy Center after drawing a double-minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct for an altercation with Minnesota's Brad Staubitz at the 13:38 mark of the second period of an eventual 6-2 loss. As he left the playing bench, Rypien reached up and pushed a spectator who was applauding at the railing separating the stands from the tunnel.

The suspension was announced Friday afternoon after Rypien attended an in-person hearing at the League offices in New York City; a meeting attended by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell.

John Scott works Dean Arsene

I don't know; the hit actually looks worse in slow motion than it does in real time. Former MTU Husky John Scott mops the ice with Edmonton Oiler Dean Arsene after his ill timed hit on his team mate James Sheppard. Scott show Arsene that he is not a very good fighter. Also, Arsene should be thankful that he fell down during the fight while getting the be-jesus beaten out of him and the ref finally stepped in before Scott could punch him again. Question: with the emergence of John Scott as the team goon it would appear that Derek Boogaard is expendable.