This all started at the end of the game when Mike Ribeiro passed around the net of Chris Osgood and caught Osgood’s stick in the face, for which Ribeiro then retaliated with a vicious slash to Osgood’s chest.

“Even if I did butt-end him, I mean it was an accident, I don’t think that justifies a two-hander over the top of the net, he could have gone about it a different way, or said something to me” said Osgood after game no.2.

When asked to explain or comment on his actions after Game 2, Ribeiro responded.

“He clipped me in the face. If he doesn’t do that, I don’t think I react, and I have no reason to do what I did. It’s a little bit of frustration and emotion in the game but I think that what he did is more dangerous than what I did.”

Both players were fined undisclosed amounts by the NHL, but were not suspended.

Both players commited dangerous acts with their sticks, why is it that they were not suspended? Could it be that both Ribeiro and Osgood are good players and an integral part of their respectve teams that it’s excepted for good players to not follow the rules?

The series between Detroit and Dallas resumes this evening, will there be fall-out from that event, or will both players remain calm?

The was a lot of wonder if Pronger would get suspended, as there was no penalty given in the game, and immediate indications showed he would not get a suspension. Chris Simon got suspended for the same infraction not long ago, but his was a more severe one, why? Chris Pronger was suspended on 7 occasions before this latest one, why did he only receive 8 games? Don’t kid yourself, Pronger is one of the dirtiest players in the league, so why was his suspension not as severe as Simon’s? Perhaps the fact that Pronger plays for the defending champions has something to do with it.

Chris Pronger is a good defenseman with a blistering shot and he’s also a physical defenseman, anyone would take him on their team, but his talent and longevity in the league should not prevent the NHL from handing him a severe suspension for his act, so what nothing happened to Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks, which received the step from Pronger, the intent on Pronger’s part was there, and he should be penalized for the intent, not the result, or give Chris Simon back the money he forfeited and things will be even.

This NHL season has seen players get smashed into the boards head first from behind ( Patrice Bergeron), as well as flagrant elbows to the head, kicking, cross checking to the face, and two seen at least occasions of players using the knives on their feet to step on someone. Has everyone gone mad? Since the instigator rule has come into effect, the cheap shots in the NHL have risen to unacceptable levels, why, because players will be less penalized to hit someone with a stick, or send them head first in the boards, than they will be if they start a fight. Gary Bettman has said that the U.S. doesn’t like violence in their sports and trying to market a violent sport in the U.S. doesn’t work, o.k. so I guess that cheap shots, and intent to injure players is alright, but fighting isn’t. Wake up people, maybe unfounded fighting is useless for the game, but when your best player gets a high stick to the face, that player should have his lights punched out, not smashed into the boards head first, or stepped on!

There was always cheap shots in the NHL, but not at this pace or severity, perhaps the league should take a look at the record of exceeding cheap shots that has increased dramatically since the inception of the instigator rule. Look, I’m not saying to have a team of goons, but Wayne Gretzky had Dave Semenko, and Gretzky himself has said it would be better if the instigator was taken out, skilled players now have the room to move about with the new NHL rules, unfortunately they are also targets, it doesn’t matter if they are goalies, or regular players.

Pronger got a suspension, not enough in most people’s eyes, but at least he got something. The NHL will have many things to look at at seasons’ end, and one of them will hopefully be suspensions, and the instigator rule, just imagine what would have happened if Pronger or Simon would have stepped on Alex Ovechkin’s leg and severely cut it, the league may have been deprived of one of their most talented players because there is not fear of retribution amongst players, where as if there was no instigator, Pronger, or Simon even given their size might think twice before acting as there would certainly be some fists coming their way. Again, I do not wish for a team of goons like the Broad Street Bullies, but some protection for the players when the need arises, which right now is almost impossible, unless it’s tooth for tooth, you slash, I slash, put the sticks down and deal with it like a man!!!