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Rome banned for Horton knock
Source: Agencies |
June 9, 2011, Thursday
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VANCOUVER Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome has been banned from playing in the rest of the Stanley Cup finals after his late hit on Boston Bruins forward Nathan Horton left his opponent severely concussed and also out of the series.
Rome apologized to Horton after he flattened him during the opening period of Monday's third game, won 8-1 by the Bruins, but the National Hockey League, under increasing pressure to clamp down on violence in the sport, took a dim view of his actions. He was handed a maximum four-game suspension, a record ban for a player in the Stanley Cup finals. If the series ends before Game 7, the suspension will carry over into next season.
"I thought it was a late hit," NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy told reporters. "I thought that the body was contacted. But I also thought that the head was hit. It caused a serious injury to Nathan Horton."
Horton, who had been one of Boston's best players during the playoffs, was sent crashing to the ice when Rome struck him after he had passed the puck.
The game was stopped as medical staff raced to his help, carefully strapping the motionless Horton onto a stretcher then transporting him to a local hospital where he was examined and kept overnight.
Horton was released on Tuesday but the Bruins said he would not be able to play in the rest of the finals and would likely be replaced by rookie Tyler Seguin. The Canucks lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 with Game 4 also in Boston today.
The Canucks released a statement from Rome saying that he had not intentionally tried to hurt Horton.
"I want to express my concern for Nathan's well-being and wish him a quick and full recovery, I try to play this game honestly and with integrity," the statement read.
"As someone who has experienced this type of injury I am well aware of its serious nature and have no desire for another player to experience it."
Murphy said the decision to suspend Rome was not made lightly but Canucks coach Alain Vigneault took issue with the league, saying the suspension was too harsh.
"We're real disappointed the player got hurt but it was a north/south play," Vigneault told reporters.
"It was a little bit late but anybody that's played this game knows that you have to make a decision in a fraction of a second. He's engaged in the hit. I don't know how the league could come up with that decision, really."
Rome apologized to Horton after he flattened him during the opening period of Monday's third game, won 8-1 by the Bruins, but the National Hockey League, under increasing pressure to clamp down on violence in the sport, took a dim view of his actions. He was handed a maximum four-game suspension, a record ban for a player in the Stanley Cup finals. If the series ends before Game 7, the suspension will carry over into next season.
"I thought it was a late hit," NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy told reporters. "I thought that the body was contacted. But I also thought that the head was hit. It caused a serious injury to Nathan Horton."
Horton, who had been one of Boston's best players during the playoffs, was sent crashing to the ice when Rome struck him after he had passed the puck.
The game was stopped as medical staff raced to his help, carefully strapping the motionless Horton onto a stretcher then transporting him to a local hospital where he was examined and kept overnight.
Horton was released on Tuesday but the Bruins said he would not be able to play in the rest of the finals and would likely be replaced by rookie Tyler Seguin. The Canucks lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 with Game 4 also in Boston today.
The Canucks released a statement from Rome saying that he had not intentionally tried to hurt Horton.
"I want to express my concern for Nathan's well-being and wish him a quick and full recovery, I try to play this game honestly and with integrity," the statement read.
"As someone who has experienced this type of injury I am well aware of its serious nature and have no desire for another player to experience it."
Murphy said the decision to suspend Rome was not made lightly but Canucks coach Alain Vigneault took issue with the league, saying the suspension was too harsh.
"We're real disappointed the player got hurt but it was a north/south play," Vigneault told reporters.
"It was a little bit late but anybody that's played this game knows that you have to make a decision in a fraction of a second. He's engaged in the hit. I don't know how the league could come up with that decision, really."
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