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And Justice For All (Of Pittsburgh)

March 23, 2017, 2:16 PM ET [65 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Updated:




These Penguins, man. They are the NHL's lap dogs these days.

The Pens lost to the Sens 2-1 in OT on Thursday night, however, the game was also tipped on its side by Sidney Crosby’s disgusting, unpenalized first period slash across the left hand of Marc Methot, who didn’t return to the game, forcing the Senators to play most of the game with five defencemen.


**Warning: Graphic content**



Thanks, Sportsnet

This play is no different than the Eric Staal "tap" that broke the hand of Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau this season.

Save your "this slash happens 50 times per NHL game".

No, it doesn't.

Crosby didn't "tap" nor stick check Methot's hand. He gave his opponent the guillotine.

“His (Methot's) finger is shattered and he’s out for weeks,” an understandably pissed off Senators coach Guy Boucher said after the game.

Sid commits the crime then doesn't do the time. AGAIN.

If Chris Neill, Steve Ott, Pat Kaleta, Dan Carcillo or another character NHLer pulled this crap on Crosby, that player would be shunned by the NHL community.

There are rules for the other players in the NHL and there are rules for Crosby.

Crosby knows he is untouchable and he knows the refs do not have the courage to ring him up for a five minute major and a game misconduct. That's why he acts the way he does. He's a spoiled brat kid who needs to be grounded.

I deliberately watched the Pens-Sens post game locker room interview with Crosby to see if he was contrite or apologetic for hacking off Methot's digit. Per usual, Crisbybwas snug and arrogant. No apologies just a "that happens to me all the time".




In typical rich punk fashion, Crosby flips the situation to paint himself as the perpetual victim.


Pray tell, Lord Sidney. When was the last time you lost a finger to an obnoxious, dangerous, violent slash?

I must have missed it, Sid. Refresh my memory.


Would the NHL review Crosby's unsportsmanlike nut shot on Ryan O'Reilly? How about a major penalty for gross misconduct?

Nah.

By not disciplining Lord Sidney, the NHL is telling the 730 mere mortals in the NHLPA that the NHL is Sid's solar system and the other stiff players are just passing through.



Thanks, Sportsnet


How can Lord sidney win a Lord Sidney's Cup if he's suspended for 20-25 games?


Exactly.




****


Aren't the Pens so cute and cuddly? Just look how adorable Geno Malkin is while leaping and drilling Blake Wheeler in the skull.


Thanks, Sportsnet


No suspension for Malkin by the way. Rule 48 violation ALL DAY LONG. Yet no supplemental discipline for Malkin. Suspend Malkin? Perish the thought. He is the lead guitarists and Crosby is the lead singer of the NHL's favorite house band the Penguins.


Wheeler correctly kicked Malkin's ass a couple of weeks when the Penguins and Jets played again met. Though he didn't want to get beat up the way he did.



Geno knew that he had to take his medicine for destroying Wheeler with an egregious, dangerous head hit.

How classy was it of Pens GM Jim Rutherford to call up his cement head Tom Sesito from the minors the day of the Jets-Pens rematch? Wasn't it great to see Mike Sullivan trow Sestito on the ice to fight Chris Thorburn directly following the disgusting hit from behind on Toby Enstrom and the Wheeler TKO of Malkin?




Sestito was suspended four games for boarding Enstrom. Four freakin' games is all Sestito received for his destruction of Enstrom, who spent the night in the hospital for observation after the dirty hit. Sestito desrved a

The NHL noted at the time that Sestito will fork over $12,777.76 after making his first NHL appearance since November 2016. It was the second time Sestito has been suspended in his 150-game NHL career. A small price to pay for a dangerous hit on an opponent. If I were Stephane Quintal and NHL Player Safety, Sestito would be banned for 20-25 games.

Sestito is nothing more than a dancing bear on the circus midway. He's not an NHL player. He demolished Enstrom knowing full well that he would be suspended for it.

The NHL has been trying to abolish stage fighting for years yet they allowed the Pens to dress a noted goon who cannot skate nor make plays to protect the Sid, Geno, Hornqvist, Kunitz and the NHL house band.



And justice for all in the NHL?

That's hilarious. And justice for Crosby and the Penguins.

Now you know why NHL fans from coast to coast in the States and across Canada are hoping Pittsburgh gets demolished by Columbus in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.











***

Insert Charlie Brown's teacher's voice here.......

Unintended consequences.

That's all the Ristolainen-Guentzel collision was about.


Guentzel was not eligible to be hit because he didn't have the puck.

Why? Zemgus Girgensons intercepted Sidney Crosby's soft suicide pass to Guentzel in the neutral zone.




If Crosby makes a better pass maybe this whole thing is muted. Ristolainen simply made a high speed hockey play. No malice not over the top aggression.



Rasmus Ristolainen will now fork over $90,000 to the NHL Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.





***

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen had his hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Thursday. Ristolainen has been suspended three games for his unfortunate interference penalty against Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel.

The collision occurred at 8:46 of the first period.

Ristolainen received a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct. Guentzel did not return to the game.

The Penguins defeated the Sabres 3-1.

The following grounds are the basis for supplemental discipline:

Interference.

Note: Guentzel had his head down when Ristolainen contacted him prematurely. Guentzel was the intended receiver of the Sid Crosby pass that was re-routed after Ristolainen committed 100% to stepping up and pasting Guentzel. Ristolainen had his back turned at the moment of impact.

Simple case of unintended consequences.

After Thursday's team practice, Ristolainen he doesn't agree with the asset that his hit on Guentzel is suspension worthy.


“I didn't take any strides. I tried to give him a little bit of time to be aware and when I was getting my eyes toward him, I tried to look at that puck,” Ristolainen said. “It never got to him.”


“It’s like a half-second there to react.”


"At the moment, I didn’t expect to get thrown out of the game but later on (I saw) he obviously didn’t have the puck," Ristolainen said. "He didn’t get it. Our player broke up the play and he got injured. So, I don’t know what are the rules but it probably was the right call. I’m not aware of the rules."


In my opinion, a five minute major and a 51 minute game misconduct was appropriate discipline for such an in-the-moment infraction by Ristolainen.

Garbage suspension.

Stephane Quintal and Player Safety get it wrong more than they get discipline calls correct. Ristolainen doesn't play a greasy game like Sid Crosby, Radko Gudas, Andrew Shaw, Brad Marchand and other habitual rule breakers.



Thanks, Sportsnet

Was there malice in the heart and mind of Ristolainen when he dropped Guentzel? Not at all. It was a high speed, boom-boom play that could not have been avoided once Ristolainen activated his uppe body and legs to finishing the hit on Guentzel.

NHL Player Safety should school Guentzel in the art of holding one's head up and not admiring the puck.




***


Hours before his hearing, the NHL Department of Player Safety hanging judge gave Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Roman Polak, a multiple offender, a two game suspension without pay for boarding Columbus Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand on Wednesday night. Bjorkstrand suffered a concussion.
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