The more we watched the replay of Dan Carcillo dropping the Capitals' Matt Bradley during last night's debacle, the clearer it was that Carcillo would be suspended. He's got a history, which is the biggest indication of pending discipline, but he was also at least somewhat out of line throwing that punch before the fight had really started. Sure, Bradley had engaged, and when all was said and done, his gloves were off, but Carcillo did everything he could to get that fight started, goading Bradley and pulling his jersey as he skated. Then, he threw and connected on a right cross that buckled Bradley's knees and knocked him silly, requiring assistance to get him off the ice.
In real time, it looked like Bradley wanted to go. The more we watch the replay though, the more questionable it gets. In short, it was probably a sucker punch. True, Bradley's gloves came off, and he could have just skated away, but Carcillo did everything he could to not let that happen, and he wasn't waiting for the gloves to come off, even though they ultimately did. The nine powerplay minutes were a joke, but a two-game suspension wasn't out of the question for the infraction alone. The extra two games are probably the result of Carcillo being a repeat offender.
But, as Ryan Bright of Phila.Bright points out, what Carcillo did isn't dissimilar from another NHL player also did, with no subsequent league action despite it actually being worse.
In the following clip, Scott Walker of the Hurricanes punches Aaron Ward in the face, and Ward had clearly not even begun to drop his gloves.
And yet, no suspension from the league. The Wheel of Justice is getting plenty of use again this season.
Original Story:
http://www.the700level.com/2009/12/ca...
