Hollweg wants stiff penalty for Simon

New York Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg, the victim of an attack by stick-swinging Islanders forward Chris Simon during the third period of an overheated battle between neighborhood rivals Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum, Friday called for the NHL to come down hard on Simon for crossing the line between rough play and dangerous violence.

Based on the match penalty for deliberately injuring Hollweg, who received two stitches in his chin, the league immediately suspended Simon indefinitely without pay. But in a twist Friday night, the NHL scheduled the disciplinary hearing today in New York rather than at league headquarters in Toronto because Simon, who might have suffered a concussion when Hollweg checked him into the glass, is not allowed to fly.

The Islanders did not release an official diagnosis, but a spokesman said Simon was examined for symptoms of a concussion Friday. Hollweg was cleared to play today.

Just because he survived Simon’s vicious two-handed slash to the face without suffering serious damage, Hollweg said that’s no reason for Simon to get off lightly.

“There’s no room for that in hockey, I don’t care who you are,” Hollweg said after practice. “For sure, a suspension is something to consider.”

Said Anaheim Ducks defenseman Sean O’Donnell: “Chris is a friend of mine. I feel for him and what he’s going through. But at the same time, the league is trying to rid itself of that kind of behavior. It’s unfortunate that he reacted that way.”

On Hollweg’s hit that precipitated a reaction, O’Donnell said: “It’s my bet that’s not an isolated situation. It’s not like some guy hit [him] and he reacted that way.

“That guy’s known to hit late and go after star players. I think that was kind of the straw that broke the camel’s back. It wasn’t just necessarily, ‘I got hit and now I’m going to do this in retaliation.’

“Having said that,” O’Donnell added, “we can’t have that kind of stuff.”

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Times staff writer Eric Stephens contributed to this report.