Nichols suspended 9 games

[shmuck]

For his sucker punch in the Buffalo game.


NEW YORK – Nashville Predators forward Scott Nichol (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/player_bio.asp?player_id=91) has been suspended for nine games, without pay, for a blind-side punch to the head of Buffalo Sabres defenceman Jaroslav Spacek (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/player_bio.asp?player_id=1041) during Buffalo's 7-2 win Thursday night.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Nichol forfeits $25,267.41. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
The incident occurred at 15:21 of the third period. Nichol was assessed a minor penalty for instigating, a major for fighting, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct as the aggressor. The suspension was issued following a hearing conducted via conference call by NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell.

"The punch by Mr. Nichol was deliberate, from behind, and it occurred after the referee's whistle had stopped play," Campbell said. "While Mr. Spacek was injured and left the ice, it is expected he will be available to play in Buffalo's next game."

[Zero]

Everytime I see Jaroslav Spacek's last name I think of Mr. Spock from Star Trek.

[manny]

wow, 9 games for a punch, and that scum bag Bertuzzi got what?

[C'mon Blue!]

wow, 9 games for a punch, and that scum bag Bertuzzi got what?

Nichol has a history with us. He's the one who started Connolly's problems with concussions. I think he holds a grudge against the franchise because they saw what kind of loser he really was.

Just wait until your kid ends up laying in a hospital bed because his opponent on the ice decided that it was OK to punch someone with their head turned cuz that guy from Nashville got away with it.

[preds24]

And it was okay that Spacek's corkscrewed Nichol into the goal and then acted like nothing happened?


Legit question. I'm not being a homer. While I don't particularly agree with Nichols' retaliation.... it's hockey and any player should know a hit like that is going to get retaliation, so don't turn you back and act like not a damn thing happened.

[KopiOveyOlieKovy]

Spacek in reality, did nothing wrong. The play was going towards the opposite corner and Spacek made his first stride toward the play and felt someone(Nichol) behind him. He tried to tuck his stick in to avoid Nichol, but got it tangled in both of their skates. When Nichol went down, Spacek looked towards the play which was in the corner, which is what you are supposed to do. Why Nichol was skating away from the play in the first place is anyone's guess.

[preds24]

Spacek in reality, did nothing wrong. The play was going towards the opposite corner and Spacek made his first stride toward the play and felt someone(Nichol) behind him. He tried to tuck his stick in to avoid Nichol, but got it tangled in both of their skates. When Nichol went down, Spacek looked towards the play which was in the corner, which is what you are supposed to do. Why Nichol was skating away from the play in the first place is anyone's guess.


We will never know if Spacek intended on the trip or not, will we? If he didn't do anything wrong, why was a penalty assessed?

I guess my reasoning is this: Nichol charges full-speed to the net; Spacek trips him at the top of the crease; Nichols careens into the post at full speed. It's a regrettable play a defenceman makes at the last second in a sport where things happen fast. Yet, it was obvious to Spacek and everyone watching -- he had dangerously imperilled Nichol with less than five minutes to play in a game the Sabres already led 5-2.

And as I said, I'm not agreeing with Nichols' actions; however, I'm not agreeing with Spacek's actions either.

AND I think a 9 game suspension is a bit harsh. I was expecting maybe three for the incident...an incident in which the other player was not injured with loss of playing time.

[KopiOveyOlieKovy]

We will never know if Spacek intended on the trip or not, will we? If he didn't do anything wrong, why was a penalty assessed?

Because he took a guy down, as unintentional as it was, away from the play. You can't hit a guy away from the play in any way, shape or form and as always, you are at all times responsible for your stick or skates if they interfere with another player. The fact that it was a minor is a pretty good indication that the refs felt it wasnt intentional given the viciousness that the hit appeared to have, especially involving the goalpost. An intent to injure or double roughing minor could have been given if they felt it was intentional.

I guess my reasoning is this: Nichol charges full-speed to the net; Spacek trips him at the top of the crease; Nichols careens into the post at full speed. It's a regrettable play a defenceman makes at the last second in a sport where things happen fast. Yet, it was obvious to Spacek and everyone watching -- he had dangerously imperilled Nichol with less than five minutes to play in a game the Sabres already led 5-2.

That last bolded part is why it is even less intentional. The game was out of hand and Spacek isnt a young guy or a goon, he would have no reason to run another player intentionally. As for the play being regrettable, it's really not. He was doing his job. Nichol had no business cutting right in front of a defenseman right in front of the crease. It's the defenseman's job to either follow the play or patrol the crease for the cross-ice pass. It's the second forward-in's job to help bail the man in the corner with the puck.

And as I said, I'm not agreeing with Nichols' actions; however, I'm not agreeing with Spacek's actions either.

AND I think a 9 game suspension is a bit harsh. I was expecting maybe three for the incident...an incident in which the other player was not injured with loss of playing time.

It was 9 because it was bare knuckled and Spacek was completely helpless. The league probably reviewed the tapes and saw Spacek did nothing wrong...

[preds24]

While I understand your technical reasonings for defending Spacek, I guess I'm looking at how a hit like Nichol imposed could be made in the heat of the moment by my reasoning.

While Spacek may have been doing his job, I believe Nichol was doing his job, as well. However, it's NOT a defenseman's job to send someone head first into the goal is it?

Spacek didn't skate away unfortunately. He stood there, took a glance at Nichol and then turned away right as Nichol was getting up. What Nichol did isn't justified.

If one guy checks another into the boards and skates away that's fine and dandy. For Spacek to take Nichol into the net, cause it to dislodge and then, as you say, he's just doing his job and skate away since he felt he didn't do anything wrong, in my eyes is asking for trouble and not a very smart move. He had to know some form of retaliation was going to take place...that is IF the guy wasn't hurt. Any time you run someone into the net, whether it's deserved or not there is usually a scrum.

I've seen players run guys into the post and if they felt that the other guy could be hurt or was sorry about the incident they are usually there to say "hey, I'm sorry, my bad, are you ok?" Instead, Spacek got up, took a look at Nichol and decided that was enough. That would be construed as a sign of disrespect to Nichol. Is Nichol popping him from behind ok? No, it's not, but I can also in the heat of the moment, I may have done the same thing. I'm not saying the cause and effect thing is good either. Nichol has to do the right thing and face Spacek. I'm not laying all the blame on Spacek. I just think in the heat of battle if you have respect for the game and the other players you'd make an attempt to see if the other guy is ok which Spacek did not do and maybe that is why Nichol flew off the handle as well.

If the play the other night was two guys getting tangled (just doing their job) and Nichol getting spiraled into the net... Spacek would've checked on Nichol to see if he was alright. Another point of view so to speak.

All this said, Nichol got punishment, as he deserved, I just think a bit to harsh.

NHL needs to look at the "running the guys into the net". Someon is going to get hurt badly if they are allowed to continue doing that.

[KopiOveyOlieKovy]

While I understand your technical reasonings for defending Spacek, I guess I'm looking at how a hit like Nichol imposed could be made in the heat of the moment by my reasoning.

While Spacek may have been doing his job, I believe Nichol was doing his job, as well. However, it's NOT a defenseman's job to send someone head first into the goal is it?

Spacek didn't skate away unfortunately. He stood there, took a glance at Nichol and then turned away right as Nichol was getting up. What Nichol did isn't justified.

If one guy checks another into the boards and skates away that's fine and dandy. For Spacek to take Nichol into the net, cause it to dislodge and then, as you say, he's just doing his job and skate away since he felt he didn't do anything wrong, in my eyes is asking for trouble and not a very smart move. He had to know some form of retaliation was going to take place...that is IF the guy wasn't hurt. Any time you run someone into the net, whether it's deserved or not there is usually a scrum.

I've seen players run guys into the post and if they felt that the other guy could be hurt or was sorry about the incident they are usually there to say "hey, I'm sorry, my bad, are you ok?" Instead, Spacek got up, took a look at Nichol and decided that was enough. That would be construed as a sign of disrespect to Nichol. Is Nichol popping him from behind ok? No, it's not, but I can also in the heat of the moment, I may have done the same thing. I'm not saying the cause and effect thing is good either. Nichol has to do the right thing and face Spacek. I'm not laying all the blame on Spacek. I just think in the heat of battle if you have respect for the game and the other players you'd make an attempt to see if the other guy is ok which Spacek did not do and maybe that is why Nichol flew off the handle as well.

If the play the other night was two guys getting tangled (just doing their job) and Nichol getting spiraled into the net... Spacek would've checked on Nichol to see if he was alright. Another point of view so to speak.

All this said, Nichol got punishment, as he deserved, I just think a bit to harsh.

NHL needs to look at the "running the guys into the net". Someon is going to get hurt badly if they are allowed to continue doing that.

I see what you are getting at, but in my opinion, Spacek didn't run him into the net. Nichol made a stupid move by darting right in front of a defenseman right in front of the net. Fact of the matter is, Nichol was the second man in the zone and the puck was in the corner. As the second man in, Nichol is supposed to help bail the guy out of the corner out. Leave the "guy looking for the pass" role for the third man in. Spacek clearly did everything in his power to avoid Nichol's dumb move by tucking his stick in and attempting to keep his eyes on the play. As for the end result, perhaps Spacek was annoyed by Nichol cutting right in front of him which is why he didn't show any remorse. It was clear that Spacek was concentrating on the play before and after the hit.