The word has just come down from the NHL -- a two-game suspension for Nashville's Jordin Tootoo for running over Ryan Miller. Brendan Shanahan's video explanation is below. The NHL discipline czar said he didn't feel there was enough contact from Christian Ehrhoff to justify Tootoo's actions and that the Nashville forward looked up and saw Miller in his path after the puck had been knocked away.
"The onus therefore is on Tootoo to avoid, or at the very least, minimize his contact with the goaltender," Shanahan said. "While we believe that Tootoo's motivation on this play was to attempt to score and not to hit Miller, the fact remains that it is the attacking player's responsibility to make a better effort not to crash directly into the opposing goaltender."
Shanahan added the call of major for charging and game misconduct was correct. The two-game suspension was rooted in the fact Miller was not injured and Tootoo has not been suspended the last four years. Pffft.
We spoke to Lindy Ruff after practice before any ruling was handed down, so there won't be any comment from him until after tomorrow's morning skate.
Join me at 3 for a live chat on Tootoo, realignment and all things Sabres and NHL. Be sure to watch the Shanahan video below before you join!
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
tagged
NHL | Sabres
