Considering how well-documented Vancouver Canucks forward Alex Burrows’ nibble was on Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron’s hand, our initial instinct was to expect a one-game suspension. Jarkko Ruutu did receive a two-game suspension for biting Andrew Peters in a 2009 regular season game, after all. That being said, the NHL doesn’t exactly have a clear no-biting policy in its rulebook and this is the Stanley Cup finals we’re talking about, so maybe Burrows is safe to chomp away after all.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the league will probably have an informal meeting with Burrows about the incident but McKenzie said they probably won’t suspend him. McKenzie also notes that a decision should be made today, even though the NHL could have an opportunity to mull over their choice a bit longer since Game 2 won’t start until Saturday.
In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a matter of earth-shattering importance. The Burrows bite didn’t leave Bergeron injured. It didn’t generate a goal for one of the team two teams either way. Instead it’s something of a “water cooler moment” to be shown alongside that stunning Raffi Torres game-winner. Here’s another chance to watch video footage of the bite.
Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun was particularly bugged (and bemused) by the talk of a suspension on Burrows.
Come on, Patrice Bergeron.
It’s a man’s game. Get a tetanus shot, and move on.
Maybe Alex Burrows had no idea that was your finger in his mouth — it was a 5 o’clock game, the eating patterns were off a little, and he was hungry. Maybe he thought it was some sort of hors d’oeuvre, like a cocktail wiener.
And anyway, what was your finger doing in his mouth in the first place?
There the two of you were, a couple of nice francophone lads giving it to each other verbally in your first language, with linesman Pierre Racicot taking notes and trying to keep you from eye-gouging each other while you were facewashing and exchanging unpleasantries after the clock ran out on the first period of the Stanley Cup Final.
All good, clean fun for the whole family, and now this ugly accusation has come up, and the soon-to-be-ex National Hockey League minister of injustice, Colin Campbell, isn’t even able to rule on it because his boy Gregory plays for Boston.
What do you think, then? Should Burrows receive a fine and/or suspension for that silly move or should we all just move on? Let us know in the poll below.
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