NHL Fines Canucks' Alexandre Burrows

[Gary_Bettman]

TORONTO – Vancouver Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows has been fined $2,500 for conduct deemed detrimental to the National Hockey League and the game of hockey, the NHL announced today.

On separate plays during the third period of a 3-2 Vancouver loss to the Nashville Predators Jan. 10, Referee Stephane Auger assessed Burrows minor penalties for diving, interference and unsportsmanlike conduct.

After the game, Burrows made the following comments to the media: “It was personal. It started in warm up before the anthem. The ref (Auger) came over to me and said I made him look bad in Nashville on the Smithson hit (during a game December 8, 2009). He said he was going to get me back tonight and he did his job in the third...“

Burrows said his teammates “are battling hard for 60 minutes to win a hockey game because every two points are so huge, so important, and because of a guy's ego it just blows everything out of proportion and they're making bad calls and the fans are paying for it and we're paying for it.

"I think he (Auger) should sit out the rest of the year making calls like that."

NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell issued the following statement:

"The National Hockey League will not tolerate the personal nature of the comments Mr. Burrows directed at Referee Auger or the fact that he brought into question the integrity of both the official and the game.

“We have determined that Mr. Burrows’ account of Referee Auger’s comments to him before the game, and specifically Burrows’ suggestion that these comments indicated bias against the player or the Vancouver team, cannot be substantiated. While Referee Auger engaged the player in a brief conversation prior to the opening face-off, I firmly believe that nothing inappropriate was said and that Referee Auger’s intentions were beyond reproach.”

The money goes to the NHL Foundation.

[stevecanuck16]

This is going to be a huge story. Burrows is claiming that Auger told him he was out to get him tonight, and his reffing certainly reflected that. Also, Sportsnet cameras captured an argument between the two before puck drop. Either guy could be in a lot of trouble here, depending on what surfaces...

[Sukoshi84]

Originally Posted by stevecanuck16

This is going to be a huge story. Burrows is claiming that Auger told him he was out to get him tonight, and his reffing certainly reflected that. Also, Sportsnet cameras captured an argument between the two before puck drop. Either guy could be in a lot of trouble here, depending on what surfaces...

With all the inconsistent BS thats going on with the refs this year, something better be done.

[stevecanuck16]

Couple more facts for everyone.

Apparently the trouble started back in December, when Jerred Smithson was given 5 and a game by Auger for boarding Burrows. Burrows claims that Auger said tonight "I saw the replay and you had your head up and weren't really hurt. You made me look bad and now I'm going to get you back." (paraphrasing)

Also, Auger has given Burrows a game misconduct before, last season in Montreal.

Both Alain Vigneault and Roberto Luongo have backed up Burrows' statements, which gives them a lot more credence. This is going to be a very big story, I think.

[Gary_Bettman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unNPFNXNsJ0&annotat...

This is what I could find on it, the beginning is apparently the conversation during warm up.

I hope this does get big, I hope Auger gets held accountable because the diving call was awful and the interference call was just disgusting.

[k.L]

Yeah, Burrows is making him look bad?

[JKidd]

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Vancouver forward Alexandre Burrows got a 10-minute misconduct for telling referee Stephane Auger what he thought of him late in Monday night's 3-2 loss to Nashville.

Burrows could be facing punishment from the NHL after sharing his opinion with the media after the game, including accusations Auger targeted him and promised to get revenge.

Burrows scored twice, but was in the penalty box for a second time when Nashville's Shea Weber scored the game-winner with 4:03 to play.

He said Auger approached him before the game and told him he was going to get him back for embellishing a Dec. 8 hit in Nashville that left Burrows crumpled on the ice, and resulted in Predators forward Jerred Smithson receiving a 5-minute major penalty for charging.

"It was personal," Burrows said. "It started in warm up before the anthem. The ref came over to me and said I made him look bad in Nashville on the Smithson hit. He said he was going to get me back tonight and he did his job in the third."

Auger and the officiating crew declined to comment when approached by The Associated Press as they were leaving the arena.

More...

[Bloodbank]

Auger certainly changed the outcome of last night's game.

[hockey doc]

I can believe this with no problem. I also believe that every Ref out there has a personnel vendetta against certain players, certain teams. Ref's are never, and I mean never held accountable for their on ice transgressions, something the NHL has dropped the ball on for years. You can't tell me that Ref's don't grow up idolizing certain teams and then lands a job officiating in the NHL and suddenly becomes unbiased in his decision making process. If you believe that then you still believe in Santa Claus.

[Shewko]

Watched the whole game.....that was worse than some pee-wee refereeing!!! Really frustrating to see the Canucks loose because of it. I hope the NHL takes a good hard look at this.

[JKidd]

"When Smithson hit me from sideways and he (Auger) said, 'I saw the replay, you had your head up, you weren't really hurt and you made me look bad so I'm going to get you back tonight,' and he did, and he cost us two points.

"He did his job in the third, I think. He got me on a diving call I didn't think was diving. He got me on an interference call that I had no idea how he could call that. It changed the game. It sucks right now for teammates who are battling 60 minutes to win a hockey game because every two points are so huge, are so important. And because of a guy's ego, it just blows everything out of proportion and the refs - they're making bad calls and the fans are paying for it and we're paying for it."

More from TSN

[Thrillhouse]

I sure hope the refs are targeting known divers, such as Divey McDive Burrows

[mattyp]

what they should do is look at the footage to see if Auger actually did approach Burrows before the anthems and if he did then it makes Burrows story possible.

[Jack Schitt]

Does this puss ever stop whining?

Christ Burrows ... fukin stand still you hyperactive puss, you are making me dizzy...

Anyway ... fuk him. His ***** BS antics came back to bite him in the ass.

[JKidd]

Its no secret that refs don't like certain players.

I've never heard of something like this, where a ref makes mention to the player.

But, its Alex Burrows... he could be targeted by a tomahawk cruise missile and I'd still find it deserved.