Shane O'Brien Suspended Two Games

[Thrillhouse]

TORONTO – Nashville Predators defenseman Shane O'Brien has been suspended for two games and will forfeit $39,024.40 in salary for a high-sticking incident against Stephen Weiss of the Florida Panthers in NHL game #650, January 13, the National Hockey League announced today.

O'Brien, who was suspended for one game on November 3, 2009, is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits his salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (186). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

O'Brien will miss both of Nashville’s weekend games -- a home and home series with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday and Sunday.

[BrianTheAdsFan]

Nice tweet Cooper.

Mind telling us for what?

Edit: Supposedly it was for a stick incident during the Florida game where no majors or match penalties occurred.

[stevecanuck16]

A quick youtube search shows up nothing. We may be out of luck here. It was a Nashville vs Florida game, so chances are nobody saw it in the first place.

I kid, I kid.

[Unknown]

Apparently it was a slash to Weiss'(?) face at the end of the first period in a scrum in front of the net. The stick hit the Panthers player on the nose.

I could see it as being a four minute PP for the Panthers, but in no way should it be a suspension

[dumby]

http://www.twitvid.com/5HOW9

[I_am_Belak_2]

Originally Posted by dumby

http://www.twitvid.com/5HOW9

That was suspendable? It looked to me like O'Brien pushed him with his glove and his stick was actually on the ice.

[Juicys1]

Originally Posted by stevecanuck16

I kid, I kid.

You bad bad Steve you

[Bhawks88]

I think youre lookin at the wrong guy.. obrien is 55 not 25.. O'brien kind of reminded me of Dr. Hook from slapshot on that play

[I_am_Belak_2]

Originally Posted by Bhawks88

I think youre lookin at the wrong guy.. obrien is 55 not 25.. O'brien kind of reminded me of Dr. Hook from slapshot on that play

Ok yea you're right lol. I guess that was sorta bad.

[BrianTheAdsFan]

Originally Posted by I_am_Belak_2

Ok yea you're right lol. I guess that was sorta bad.

Sorta.

2 games sorta?

Not like he tried a two handed chop a tree down thing.

I dunno. I'd be pissed if one of our guys was on the receiving end, but where was the penalty on the play then?

[JBar595]

The problem is not with the players, most of these high sticking penatlies are not on purpose. The problem is the rules committe and the on ice officals. These moron are making rules that defy the laws of physics. A player falls or is hit and his stick flys up in the air and hits another player, he gets a high sticking penalty for not controlling his stick, which is out of the players control. Same thing with the delay of game penalty for hitting the puck out of the defensive zone, a REF should be able to determine if it was done on purpose or not. The big failure here is leadership in the NHL and rules committe, just a bunch of people trying to justify their jobs at the fans expense.

[stevecanuck16]

Originally Posted by JBar595

The problem is not with the players, most of these high sticking penatlies are not on purpose. The problem is the rules committe and the on ice officals. These moron are making rules that defy the laws of physics. A player falls or is hit and his stick flys up in the air and hits another player, he gets a high sticking penalty for not controlling his stick, which is out of the players control. Same thing with the delay of game penalty for hitting the puck out of the defensive zone, a REF should be able to determine if it was done on purpose or not. The big failure here is leadership in the NHL and rules committe, just a bunch of people trying to justify their jobs at the fans expense.

Well, no. High-sticking is called that way because it IS the player's responsibility to control his stick at all times. Carelessness causes a lot of injuries, see Bryan Berard for example.

I'll agree that the delay of game for clearing the puck out of the defensive zone glass is stupid, but if it is in, it has to be the way it is now. If it's not black and white, and left up to the ref's discretion, there's even more room for error. Imagine if your team was down 3-2 in an important playoff game, and the opponents cleared it over the glass, and the ref ruled it accidental. Pandemonium.

None of that really applies to this incident, though. O'Brien pretty clearly thrust his stick into a guy's face. Not the worst stick incident I've seen by any stretch, but its an act made with pretty bad intentions. Nice to see a suspension not based on an injury for once.

[Juha82]

Not looked even so bad.
Gay.

[I_am_Belak_2]

Originally Posted by BrianTheAdsFan

Sorta.

2 games sorta?

Not like he tried a two handed chop a tree down thing.

I dunno. I'd be pissed if one of our guys was on the receiving end, but where was the penalty on the play then?

Same deal with the Brown suspension. There was no penalty called.

[PuckHogs29]

Originally Posted by BrianTheAdsFan

Sorta.

2 games sorta?

Not like he tried a two handed chop a tree down thing.

I dunno. I'd be pissed if one of our guys was on the receiving end, but where was the penalty on the play then?

Originally Posted by I_am_Belak_2

Same deal with the Brown suspension. There was no penalty called.

Let's all remember these are the same NHL employed refs we see every game. Are you really surprised they missed those things? They're too busy making sure they call every little hooking and holding penalty and keep guys from dropping the gloves to catch things like blatant hits to the head or a stick in the face.

A more serious explanation in this case, the official behind the net was probably watching the goal line to see if the puck was going to come loose, and the trailing official wouldn't have seen it since Weiss was facing away from him.