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Pronger Suspended 8 Games; Ducks Taking on Blues |
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The NHL has spoken and Ducks captain Chris Pronger has received an eight-game suspension for stomping on Ryan Kesler on Wednesday night. If you read my previous blog then you know that eight games is about what I was expecting and what I feel is fair. Eight games is 10% of the season and is a significant punishment - it is not a slap on the wrist as some are suggesting.
Many are confused as to why Pronger "only" got eight games after Chris Simon was given a 30-game suspension for stomping on Jarkko Ruutu earlier this season. Then again, Mattias Ohlund received "only" a four-game suspension for his two-handed slash to Mikko Koivu's leg while Chris Simon was given a 25-game suspension for swinging his stick at Ryan Hollweg. Donald Brasher punched a player and only got a minor penalty for roughing while Andrew Peters punched a player and got a one-game suspension! The point is that every incident is different and the NHL judges each one on its own merits. The NHL reviewed and discussed this situation and they felt that Pronger deserved an eight-game suspension.
So, the defending Stanley Cup Champions will be without their captain for the next eight games. The first of those games is tonight in Anaheim against the St. Louis Blues and this is a game that the Ducks should win even without Pronger. St. Louis has been reeling lately, was blown out in San Jose last night and the Ducks are riding an eight-game winning streak on home ice. The Blues, on the other hand, are just 1-9-2 in their last 12 games are are riding a nine-game losing streak on the road.
Expect Marc-Andre Bergeron to dress and replace Pronger on the Ducks defense, though I would go with Joe DiPenta. DiPenta is solid in his own end and makes the safe play 99.9% of the time. Bergeron is great on the power play but the Ducks already have Scott Niedermayer, Mathieu Schneider and Francois Beauchemin so it's not like they will be hurting for offensive minded defenseman in Pronger's absence. I think DiPenta would make it tougher on the Blues to score whereas Bergeron could turn the puck over to St. Louis and give them a scoring chance. But, the Ducks gave up a third round draft pick to get Marc-Andre so chances are they are not going to leave him in the press box.
J.S. Giguere should be in net tonight after sitting out the Ducks win over the Canucks and he's been hot lately, especially at home. Giguere is 6-0-0 with a 1.32 GAA in his last six home starts and this season he's 1-1-1 with a shutout and a 1.30 goals-against average against the Blues.
Game time is 7pm in Anaheim and Ducks fans can catch the action on FSN Prime Ticket.
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