Ducks Feel Pain of 3 Suspensions

Tuesday was judgment day for the Mighty Ducks and the suspensions to Ruslan Salei, Pascal Trepanier and Jim McKenzie were severe indeed for their rough play Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

Colin Campbell, NHL director of hockey operations, suspended Salei for 10 games for his shove from behind that sent Dallas’ Mike Modano crashing headfirst into the boards.

Trepanier received a five-game suspension for delivering an elbow to the head of Joe Nieuwendyk on a hard check against the boards. McKenzie will sit out four games for pummeling Darryl Sydor in an ensuing fight.

“The only thing I can say about the suspensions is I can’t say anything,” said Pierre Gauthier, team president and general manager, before the Ducks’ 4-0 loss to the the Phoenix Coyotes at America West Arena.

“This was a dangerous act by Mr. Salei against an opponent who was in a vulnerable position and unable to defend himself,” Campbell said. “Everyone connected with hockey knows that a hit or a push from behind on a player is an extremely dangerous play and can result in a serious injury. We were fortunate that Mr. Modano was not more severely injured.”

Modano, the Stars’ top center who suffered a concussion, a broken nose and a sprained neck, was expected to miss at least three games, including Friday’s rematch at the Arrowhead Pond.

“The play was done and the puck was in the corner,” Modano told a Dallas newspaper. “I kind of put my guard down because the play was away from me. That’s when I got the push. It’s a player’s responsibility to understand when a[nother] player is in a vulnerable position.”

Nieuwendyk, Dallas’ No. 2 center, was uninjured on Trepanier’s check. Sydor, a top Star defenseman, suffered a broken left eye socket in the fight with McKenzie.

The suspensions began Tuesday against Phoenix. Salei will not be eligible to return to the lineup until Oct. 29 against the Washington Capitals. Trepanier will not play again until Oct. 16 against Florida. McKenzie will be sidelined until Oct. 15 against Tampa Bay.

“I think it’s a hair light, but it’s a start,” Dallas winger Brett Hull told reporters in Detroit, where the Stars defeated the Red Wings without Modano and Sydor. “Hopefully, it will be [a harsh enough penalty], but you don’t know. It’s a part of the game that has to go. That kind of rough play cannot be tolerated.”

Hull said earlier this week that Salei, who is from Belarus, should be kicked out of the league and his passport should be taken away.

“He was angry,” Salei said. “It’s hard to say if it’s fair for him to say [that] or not.”

Salei said he has been unsuccessful in attempts to contact Modano. Asked what he would say, Salei said: “I just want to say my point of view. I want to apologize. I want to tell him it was a total accident.”

Modano raced toward the Duck net after fighting through a check from center Matt Cullen in the second period. Salei intercepted him near the goal line, which is 13 feet from the end boards. TV replays show Salei delivering a shove to Modano, who crashed headfirst into the boards.

Replays available to reporters of the other two incidents are less clear. Trepanier appeared to simply take Nieuwendyk hard into the boards from behind as they were chasing a loose puck.

McKenzie can be seen punching Sydor to the ice, then landing several more blows. The league’s statement indicated McKenzie was suspended for “initiating an altercation” and “persisting when Sydor was offering no resistance and was defenseless.”

However, McKenzie said he fought only after Sydor elbowed him in the mouth as he moved to protect Trepanier, who was involved in a fight with Dallas’ Jamie Langenbrunner. “I don’t know what to say,” McKenzie said. “I don’t know what I’m allowed to say. I didn’t start that fight.”

Said Trepanier: “I’m not happy about it. It hurts the team. I know the way it looks, but I never meant to do it. I play physical, but I never meant to hurt anybody.”

PHOENIX: 4

DUCKS: 0

Shane Doan scores two goals to lead the Coyotes.

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KINGS PONDER CHANGES

Donald Audette may be moved from the Kings’ second line to the fourth line.

Page 6

STARS RISE

Dallas comes away with a 3-2 win at Detroit.

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