The National Hockey League announced Saturday that New York Rangers coach John Tortorella has been suspended for one game for squirting a fan with water and throwing a water bottle that struck a fan during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series with the Washington Capitals on April 24 in Washington.Read all about it here.
Here's the killer comment from the NHL report: "That investigation revealed that Mr. Tortorella squirted a fan with water before Mr. Tortorella was doused with a beverage."
The NHL sends around a memo regarding discipline to teams at the beginning of every season. The pertinent part reads as follows:
please be on notice that all Club personnel (management, coaches, trainers, and/or players) who engage in any form of physical contact with fans, including the squirting of water, will, on a going forward basis, be subject to discipline in the form of a suspension. The Club involved will also be subject to a fine.
It's going to be interesting to see how the team responds -- are they embarrassed about their Game 5 performance? Do they want to show show their loyalty to the coach? Or are visions of golf links dancing in their heads?
My thought -- there's no sense in scratching a player (Sean Avery) if you are going to get yourself suspended the next game in a pivotal series. Recall that after Game 4, Torts (in apparent reference to Avery) said that the lack of discipline could cost the Rangers not only a game but the series.
Is there an empty chair on TSN or ESPN where Torts can sit out the remainder of the playoffs?
---Tony
Brillance. I laughed myself out of my depression. NOW, I am ready for game 6. Thanks Tony!
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Hey, Dark Ranger,
ReplyDeleteI'm a Caps STH and found your site via your Post comments.
First, I wanted to say the picture goes along great with this story, I was at Game 5 but I did not see the fiasco begin behind the bench, only the conclusion.
Second, I want to say I respect fans such as yourself that create a web page in support of your team. I know after attending games for the past 7 years that DC is a city full of fair weather fans. On the way home from Game 5, on the Metro I hear a guy in a Caps jersey tell another Metro rider that he only follows the Caps during the Playoffs, that was a true WTF moment. I hate bandwagoners, but I absolutely love passion so from one loyal fan to another, let's have a great Game 7.
You can curse me if you'd like for this: GO CAPS!!!
Joey....I love that you visited the blog. See you Tuesday.
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