Laraque Suspended for Five Games
Georges Laraque will miss five games due to a suspension handed out after a brutal knee-on-knee hit he delivered to Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall.
The refs in Saturday’s game called it a tripping penalty, but closer inspection revealed that there was much more to the hit that left Kronwall on the shelf. The Red Wings defenceman will miss at least a month with a serious medial collateral ligament sprain of his left knee.
“Mr. Laraque’s actions were dangerous and caused a significant injury to his opponent,” Colin Campbell said in a statement released by the league.
Laraque forfeits $38,860.10 in salary over the five games and will be back in the line-up for Montreal on the team’s December 4 game against the Boston Bruins.
“There were four refs on the ice, and they didn’t call anything,” Laraque said. “If they called a match penalty, it would be different. There was no intent, there was no reason why I would try to go and hurt him. It was a pure accident. That’s why they called it tripping, so I’m not worried at all.”
Laraque is convinced that the reaction by the officials on the ice proved that it was never his intention to injure Kronwall, but I think that’s beside the point. What’s done is done and it was an irresponsible play no matter how you slice it. In the end, the suspension is more than apt and Laraque will have every opportunity to go shoot another bizarre energy drink advertisement in the meantime.
Posted by Jordan Richardson.
Tags: five-game suspension, georges laraque, Montreal Canadiens, suspension
November 24th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Weird the referees call him for 2 minutes
then he gets 5 game by the league.
The play was not accidental nor was it a play indented to injure Kronwall
but it was was reckless, and quite obvious big George forgot
the word respect.
What bothers me the referees seem to have lost an edge this year
I have the NHL network and I have seen countless strange calls
I call them impact calls, if the play looks big or someone flops or gets hurt
the penalty is called.
Quite often,
These calls seem to happen at opportune times or when the game is on the line.
Players have become masters at this, they seem to sell or embellish almost every hit they receive.
Mike richards of Philly got a 5 minute major plus a match penalty because of his hit on David Booth. Booth was clearly injured on this play, He was not faking it.
The league didn’t give Richards anything
Agree with the League or not, it doesn’t make sense.
If my comments are scattered I apologize, it is the same as our current officiating,
They seem lost, I miss guys like John D’amico
He let the guys play, made consistant calls in a time where hockey was far more Physical then it is today.
Maybe it’s too many guys calling the shots
Here is an idea One Referee two Linesman,
this will separate the quality from the junk
The more qualified Zebras are the better, it worked for 90 years
lets give it a shot.
Oh yeah that would be considered important,
forget that Gary and any of his caped crusaders the are too busy saving Phoenix.