'Cheap Shot' Nets Lemieux Suspension for Two Games

‘Cheap Shot’ Nets Lemieux Suspension for Two Games

By HELENE ELLIOTT

June 3, 1996 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

DENVER —

Colorado Avalanche forward Claude Lemieux, the most valuable player in last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, was suspended Sunday for the first two games of this year’s finals and fined $1,000 for inflicting what the NHL termed a “cheap shot” when he hit defenseless Detroit Red Wing forward Kris Draper from behind during Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.

Lemieux, who had been suspended twice in the last 15 months, became the first player to be suspended for a championship series game under the NHL’s 19-year-old supplementary discipline system. The Avalanche will face the Florida Panthers for the Cup.

Draper, who was skating backward with his head down, suffered a fractured jaw, broken cheekbone and broken nose when he struck the boards face-first. He underwent 2 1/2 hours of surgery Friday. Lemieux received a five-minute penalty and game misconduct.

NHL Senior Vice President Brian Burke said Lemieux used excessive force in checking Draper in a hit that appeared premeditated.

“We have concluded that the player’s conduct and its consequences warrant a suspension because players must be held accountable for improper conduct,” Burke said.

Lemieux was suspended one game of the playoff series against Detroit for sucker-punching Vyacheslav Kozlov of the Red Wings.

“We totally disagree [with the ruling],” Avalanche General Manager Pierre Lacroix said. “I still can’t believe this decision. I have a hard time thinking our club will start the Stanley Cup finals without the Conn Smythe Trophy winner from last year’s playoffs [while he was with the New Jersey Devils]. He’s an important part of this hockey club.

“I don’t think it’s fair to penalize a team in the Stanley Cup final.”

Lemieux, unavailable for comment, said earlier he didn’t intend to hurt Draper.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Stanley Cup Finals

COLORADO AVALANCHE vs. FLORIDA PANTHERS

Tuesday--at Colorado, 5 p.m.

Thursday--at Colorado, 5 p.m.

Saturday--at Florida, 5 p.m.

June 10--at Florida, 5 p.m.

*June 13--at Colorado, 5 p.m.

*June 15--at Florida, 5 p.m.

*June 17--at Colorado, 5 p.m.

* if necessary

All Times Pacific

Hockey

Helene Elliott

Helene Elliott was with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports department from 1989 to 2024, first as a staff writer and then, starting in 2006, as a columnist. She became the first female journalist to be honored with a plaque in the Hall of Fame of a major professional sport as the 2005 winner of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Award, awarded to writers “who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.” A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she has covered 18 Olympics.

‘Cheap Shot’ Nets Lemieux Suspension for Two Games

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