Briere Shocked By 3 Game Suspension, Shouldn’t Be (video)

Added on Nov 02, 2010 by J Merrill in

NHL

I think I have to respectfully disagree with Danny Briere of the Philadelphia Flyers. In a game with the New York Islanders, this past Saturday night, Briere was given a major penalty for cross-checking along with a game misconduct. Right after the face off Briere brought his stick up, and it appears he strikes NY Islander Frans Nielsen in the head with it.

Check the video here:

Briere said in a call, with Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations for the NHL Colin Campbell, that he was upset with the decision to suspend him for that long. “ More shocked. I think surprised is not strong enough, Honestly, I’m shocked. I honestly didn’t think I would get more than, after everything else, all of the suspensions that have been handed out the last couple of years and this year, honestly, I didn’t think I was going to get a game. Then I thought, ok yes I am a repeat offender, they’ll probably give me a game because of it. I’m shocked that it was more than a game.”

He was asked how the discussions went, and Briere continued “I explained that he challenged me, and that I wanted to defend myself, protect myself. I told him that I understood that my stick shouldn’t have been up there. But honestly, It didn’t amount to anything. I think his mind was made up before he rang, because anything I said was, obviously, not taken into consideration.”

The main thing I disagree with that Briere said was this: “What I’m disappointed in is the fact they tried to spin it as a crosscheck to the head, If you look at the replay, it’s clearly not a crosscheck. A crosscheck is two hands moving forward. It’s a push with one hand. The mistake I made was that my stick was up there. Is it worth 3 games for that? I don’t think so.”

Three games, Briere may have a point. However, if you watched the video above Nielsen goes down like a hammer in a lake. He was hit with way more then just a shot from a glove to the helmet. His stick was up there, and it obviously connected with the head of Nielsen. I understand he is trying to save face, but the decision was made. Its time to own up to it. Lets not forget that he is repeat offender, and we are in the era where head injuries are being taken very seriously.

The other thing that NHL is making a big deal out of these days is “using the stick as a weapon.” I don’t think Briere thought to himself before the face off ‘Im going to crack this dude in the head!’ I just think he wasn’t thinking, and just reacted to the moment, but he did hit him in the head with a hockey stick. When you make a mistake like that you will be penalized. Eventually the NHL players will see a penalty, and understand that using the stick as a weapon can NEVER be done.