Cannuck Rick Rypien Attacks Minnestoa Fan, Suspended Indefinitely

Added on Oct 20, 2010 by J Merrill in

NHL

Things went from bad to worse in a hurry for the Vancouver Cannucks this past Tuesday night in their game with the Minnesota Wild. Vancouver was barely in the game to begin with, when Rick Rypien went at Wild forward Brad Staubitz. After a short scuffle, the second of the night for the two Rypien was given a double-minor for roughing and a game misconduct penalty. The Cannucks were already down 5-1 to the Wild, and a come back seemed impossible. Then it got Crazy!

While Rypien was leaving the bench area down the tunnel, he was being yelled at and a fan can be seen clapping, when Rypien reached into the crowd and started shaking him. The fans friend stepped in and another Cannuck can be seen pushing Rypien down the tunnel to separate the two. Minneapolis Star Tribune beat writer Mike Russo is reporting he spoke with the fan who said: “I was just standing straight up applauding as (Rypien) was getting kicked out. He was out of control, And then I said, ‘Way to be professional,’ and he obviously didn’t care for that comment and decided to grab me and almost dragged me over the rail. If my brother wasn’t grabbing me and the other player wasn’t grabbing him, he probably would have dragged me over the edge. Bottom line, I was assaulted.” he also told the reporter he was seeking a lawyer.

League rules state:

“Any player, goalkeeper or non-playing Club personnel who physically interferes with the spectators, becomes involved in an altercation with a spectator, or throws any object at a spectator, shall automatically incur a game misconduct penalty and the Referee shall report all such infractions to the Commissioner who shall have full power to impose such further penalty as he shall deem appropriate.”

Rypien has been suspended indefinitely until the NHL can review the tape, and they will probably look at how Rypien seemed to push the linesman as he was trying to stop the altercation on the ice as well. Vancouver Coach Vigneault said “I didn’t see the incident, When the linesman brought him over I was talking to the referee and the linesman. I haven’t seen a replay of it.” However, it looked like Vigneault was one of the people pulling Rypien off of the fan.

The fan was not ejected from the game, but he was moved to another area. The Cannucks are scheduled to play the Blackhawks tonight, and winger Jeff Tambellini will take Rypien’s spot. The league is planning on commenting durring tonights game with the Hawks.

Toronto Maple Leafs Coach Ron Wilson even chimed in on the subject. He noted he was not condoning the actions of Rypien but he said “Everybody’s jumping on the “Let’s hang Rypien” bandwagon. No one’s heard from him. I don’t know what happened. He lost his cool and inevitably he’ll pay for it. I don’t know if fan said anything. Maybe he just looked at him,” Wilson said. “Let’s let this poor guy have his day in court.”