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Brad Marchand suspended five games for hit on Sami Salo 01.09.12 at 6:30 pm ET
By DJ Bean

Bruins forward Brad Marchand was suspended five games by the NHL Monday for Saturday’s low-bridge hit on Canucks defenseman Sami Salo. Because the hearing was conducted via phone, five games was the maximum penalty Marchand could receive.

Marchand saw the Canucks defenseman coming in to hit him along the boards late in the second period of the 4-3 loss, lowered his body and hit Salo in the hip area. The hit was called clipping on the ice, and Marchand was given a five-minute major and game misconduct.

“As the video shows, Marchand skates towards Salo along the boards,” NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan said. “Rather than deliver a shoulder-to-shoulder check, Marchand drops dangerously low into Salo’s knee area, propelling Salo up and over, causing an injury.

“While we understand that in certain instances, a player may duck or bail instinctively in order to prevent himself from an imminent, dangerous check, we do not view this play as defensive or instinctive. Rather, we feel that this was a predatory, low hit delivered intentionally by Marchand in order to flip his opponent over him. Further, Salo is not coming at Marchand with great speed nor in a threatening posture. He does nothing to indicate that Marchand is about to be hit illegally or with excessive force. To be clear, we do not consider this to be a defensive act where there were no other options available to Marchand.”

Marchand, 23, has now been suspended twice in his career, as he was given two games last season for his elbow to the back of R.J. Umberger’s head. Earlier this season, Marchand was fined $2,500 for slew-footing Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen.

Marchand will begin serving his suspension Tuesday night against the Jets. He will be eligible to return to the lineup Jan. 19 against the Devils.

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  • OldTimeHockey

    So now the standard is you have to stop and  consider your options before making a move….what has happenned to this game?

  • Sburnsclinton

    Can you still throw a HIP CHECK in this league ?  That is probably CLIPPING , my bad .

  • Sean

    That was like Scorcese getting the award for The Departed when he made so many other gems like Goodfellas, Casino etc … keep duckin em Marshy!

  • Jack

    I honestly lost all respect for the Bruins, especially for Marchand after this. I soon after lost all respect for Claude Julien trying to defend the hit and act as if Salo is a dirty player at all.

  • Stratog

    So now that Marchand’s excessive  suspension was given, when is the league going to review of the Canucks SPEARING Thorton in the throat ?

  • Marty

    Once again the league comes down on the Bruins. Marchand’s hit unfair but 5/6 guys on top of Thornton perfectly acceptable.

  • Kimmi

    Looks like the nhl is finally looking at all these thugs  B’s nothing but a great goalie & a bunch of Thugs Let’s Fight Lets Fight Fight more Fighting  god what ever happened to skilled players pass, deeke, shoot,skate,breakaways play hockey not Thugs Thugs Thugs

  • Leecasper17

    Yup, Marchand can be suspended for ducking when Salo skated at full speed (unnecessarily) toward him, but will any Canucks be suspended for jumping on Thornton? Nope. Not even when there were about six guys on one. And that’s NOT including all the guys on the bench who threw in punches when they could.

  • Bruins71173

    All the B’s are; are a bunch of thugs and a good goalie huh? Really? Really? One question, and who is the most hated team across the NHL? Cowards, cowards, and more cowards. How can you live with yourselves? RIOTS!!!! Things that don’t fight back. Makes sence.

  • Gman

    Yeah and you Canuck and Hab fans are a bunch of whiners. Marchand was defending himself.

  • Crazydad

    High stick = spear in Boston

  • Veen2009

    Campel is out shany is in and his(shany) son doesn’t play for bruin.more suspension coming,ooo yeaaaaaa nobody to protect dirty bruins.

  • NHL1937

    apparently going head first into someones legs is acceptable checking in Boston…..

  • Kimmi

    no kidding

  • JD

    Exactly right.  Great goalie and someone’s daddy named Campbell.  Things are a little different this year.  Hope daddy Campbell doesn’t have an influence on the playoffs this year like he did last year. 

  • Lane4790

    wow let the games begin

  • Anonymous

    jack – off !!

  • Anonymous

    are you a guy?

  • NotaNucksfasnbutaHOCKEYFAN

    you think Salo was skating full speed? did you watch the video? do you know what full speed looks like? do you even watch hockey? i doubt it. probably another douchey Bruins bandwagon jumper, who’s only hockey watching experience was the finals last year. 

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