December 4th

Suspensions Handed Down

Nashville Predators forward Scott Nichol was slapped Monday with a five-game suspension for a vicious crosscheck to the chin. Nichol whacked defenceman Patrice Brisebois with the shaft of his stick in last Saturday's 5-4 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He is considered a repeat offender by the NHL, having been suspended nine games last Dec. 21 for delivering a sucker-punch to Buffalo Sabres defenceman Jaroslav Spacek in a 7-2 setback. Nichol is eligible to return Dec. 15 and will forfeit almost $46,000 in salary.


The NHL has suspended for the fifth time this season a Philadelphia Flyers player, and for the first time, the league warned the team as well. Riley Cote was handed a three-game suspension on Monday for a brutal elbow on Dallas Stars Matt Niskanen late in Saturday's 4-1 Dallas victory. Cote was given a match penalty on the play. Cote is the fifth Flyers player to be suspended through 25 games this season, joining Scott Hartnell, Randy Jones, Jesse Boulerice and Steve Downie on the suspension train. 

On Monday, the NHL put Philadelphia's brass on notice as league commissioner Gary Bettman and disciplinarian Colin Campbell held a conference call with Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren.

Last Tuesday, Hartnell was slapped with a two-game ban for a hit on Boston Bruins defenceman Andrew Alberts. Jones got two games for hitting Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron into the boards during an Oct. 27 contest. Two other Philadelphia players were slapped with hefty suspensions for ugly incidents early this season. Flyers forward Steve Downie was suspended 20 games after the 20-year-old prospect gave Ottawa Senators centre Dean McAmmond a concussion with a vicious hit in a pre-season game in September at Scotiabank Place. McAmmond had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher. Just over two weeks later, Philadelphia tough guy Jesse Boulerice got a 25-game suspension after cross-checking Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler in the head.


Luongo, Brodeur, and Backstrom Named 3 Stars

Goaltenders Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks, Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and Niklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending December 2.

Luongo earned the NHL's First Star award for the week after posting a 2-1-0 record with a 0.67 goals-against average, .976 save percentage and two shutouts.

Brodeur posted a 3-0-0 record, 1.30 goals-against average, .945 save percentage and a milestone shutout as the Devils (14-10-2, 30 points) extended their winning streak to seven games.

Backstrom posted a 3-0-0 record, 1.32 goals-against average and .969 save percentage as the Wild (15-9-2, 32 points) moved into first place in the Northwest Division.


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