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Emery's action
appalling
Senators goalie Ray Emery deserves to be suspended for his
stick-to-the-head on Canadiens rookie Maxim Lapierre, writes
TFP Editor-in-Chief David Pagnotta.
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(TORONTO, ON) -- If the NHL is as serious as it says it
is about the safety of its players, it's time they make
an example of Ottawa Senators goaltender Ray Emery.
In the second period of Saturday night's 5-3 victory over
Montreal, Emery swung his stick and hit Canadiens' rookie
Maxim Lapierre in the face.
Fortunately for the 21-year-old native of St. Leonard, Quebec,
he was wearing his visor.
"I hope the NHL reviews that play because that was intent to
injure," Habs head coach Carbonneau said after the game. |
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"If Max isn't wearing a visor, he'd have a broken nose."
Emery,
who won his 24th game of the season, was assessed
merely a minor penalty for slashing, much to the
disgust of the Canadiens' hometown fans, players and
coaching staff.
"I didn't mean to hit him that high," Emery, who
challenged Lapierre to a fight after the play, told
The Canadian Press.
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I can understand a player looking his cool, after all,
Lapierre did slide into him, but what the 24-year-old
netminder did was utterly inexcusable. Yet, to my
surprise, the game went on as if nothing wrong had
happened. The referee clearly saw the play, as a
penalty was immediately called, but to issue a
two-minute minor is disgraceful.
What would have happened in Lapierre wasn't wearing a visor?
What if Emery hit the young center in the throat? What is
Emery hit Lapierre in the eye? Would the officials have
reacted the same way? Would they have let the incident slide? |
I don't think so.
The league has a responsibility to step in and react
accordingly. Incidents like these cannot go unpunished.
Did the league turn its back on Marty McSorley's tomahawk chop
on Donald Brashear? Did they close their eyes on Todd
Bertuzzi's assault on Steve Moore?
Thankfully, Lapierre wasn't injured, but in the eyes of the
National Hockey League's disciplinarians, that shouldn't
matter. One of their athletes still hit another in the head
with a hockey stick. Something should be done about it.
Lapierre was lucky. Emery was stupid. It's time for the league
to be responsible.
David Pagnotta is the Editor-in-Chief of The Fourth Period
Magazine and covers the Toronto Maple Leafs and the NHL for
TheFourthPeriod.com. He is also a contributing writer for
NBCSports.com.
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