Walker fined, not suspended

Abosolute joke. Colin Campbell should be investigated.

The NHL is a joke. This is worse than what Brashear did and he got 5 Games.

Lucic gets 1 game for a crosscheck and then Komiserek gives Lucic a worse cross check and gets nothing.

Sometimes I wonder why I'm even a fan of this Bush League.

I can't believe this guy isnt suspended. This is 3x worse than wat Looch did. This guy will have a HUGE bullseye right where his number would be next game. I am a little disgusted.

bs

Mr. Walker, meet Mr. Lucic and Mr. Thornton.

disgraceful!

Side note, Medford Mickey, please tell me that crazy shirtless kid with the Spoked ‘B’ on his stomach at the game last night was your kid!

you have to be kidding me..... They should have let Lucic take care of it on the ice instead of two linesmen pulling him off. It will be hard to get retribution in the rest of the series.

Keep your head up, Mr Walker...

Colin Campbell is a freaking joke!

And people ask why we need to leaving fighting in as part of hockey. When the league won't even uphold their own rules then they leave it for the players on the ice to handle. Boston could have easly lost both Ward and Chara to Carolina's flagerant penalties that the league does nothing about. Lucic hits an opposing player high with his stick when that player is going after him and he gets suspended. Carolina's players sucker punch and cheap shot slash Boston's players and nothing happens. God help Carolina if Boston gets up by 3 or 4 goals in game 6.

I am honestly floored that there was no suspension. Colin Campbell needs to go.

Hopefully the Bruins keep their heads next game and just focus on the win. Let Walker sit and sulk all summer knowing he woke up a bear, and then we can take care of retribution next season. Just not worth it when facing elimination.

The NHL truthfully is an absolute joke, it is a shame that there is zero consistency.

The statement by the GM is even funnier than the fact there's no suspensions...how many 'canes have been sucker punched and received a possible broken orbital bone in the series? None? Really...what a bunch of bs

The one silver lining in this is that the boys are gonna be fired up again tomorrow night!

This is not even a question of degrees, this is Colin Campbell's inability to follow the RULES of the sport. Walker got an Instigator penalty in the last 5 minutes of the game, he gets a suspension. Campbell should be fired for incompetence.

Ward should be ok if he throws on a cage...Walker isn't going to have the luxury of having his face protected. What a joke this league is. Walker made the decision to skater over, jump in as a 3rd guy, drop his gloves and just swing away...I wonder what the league would have done if Thornton did the same thing to Staal...

The small fine and lack of a suspension is a joke.

He didn't deserve a suspension.

He dropped his glove and gave Ward the opportunity to engage. Ward pulled an Avery...sticking his face out with his hands by his side....KABOOM!

Don't be a coward....Ward will learn.

Absolutely mind boggling.

Sucker punch to the face and only a fine?

Go get em looch.

I smell bull excrement

I am also disappointed by the lack of suspension. On the flip side, having Walker back for Game Six is a great motivator for the B's, particularly given Paul Maurice's comments about Walker only getting a sore hand, and Jokkinen's slash against Chara. Like I said to my brother a little while ago: the 'canes are going home thinking they can sew this up. The Bruins are going to Carolina to get revenge.

Joke! 3rd man in, instigator, whatever you want to call it. You threatened to enforce the last five minutes garbage and then reverse a suspension for a cheap shot like that. Absolute JOKE!
FYI, the Bruins have more important things than revenge on this putz.. beat em on the board then beat em down.

Hey Fage'... why would the B's call up Reich.. they need a D, last time I checked Reich played wing last season on the 4th line.

May I ask Mr. Rutherford (stay classy, Jim!) to identify what punches were thrown in games 1-4?

FWIW, Ryan Bayda will be back for the Canes for game 6, so Walker will probbaly be a healthy scratch, anyway.

Right from the NHL rulebook....

(NEW for 2005-06) A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at any time in overtime, shall be assessed an instigator minor penalty, a major for fighting, a ten minute misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension will double for each subsequent offense. In addition, the player's coach shall be fined $10,000 -- a fine that will double for each subsequent incident.

Every chance we get - pound Walker. I hope Lucic absolutely crushes him.

What happened to simply enforcing the "last 5 minutes of the game instigator" rule? Walker can look for some heavy hits tomorrow

BS

Hilarious. Well, let's see how Scott Walker likes the punishment coming his way in Game 6 tomorrow night. Colin Campbell should be embarrassed.

I know that there are unwritten rules about fights in hockey. Like generally you tend to drop gloves and size each other up before you start slugging. But I also believe another more important rule is that you usually at least raise your fists in attempt to defend yourself and/or fight. Apparently Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward forgot about that latter rule during Sunday night's game against the Hurricanes.

Seriously, I don't know what Ward was thinking. Scott Walker grabs him quickly - perhaps faster than is generally acceptable - but then Ward just stands there motionless - with his gloves still on, no less - and lets Walker wallop him in the side of the head. You know you're in a fight, right Aaron? Walker's not going to wait until your gloves come off to kick your ass.

Wow. That is ridiculous. The on-ice officials called an instigator penalty in the last 5 minutes, which rarely happens. That is supposed to be an automatic one game suspension. Leave it to the NHL to completely disregard it's own rules.

What's even more tragically comic, is that the only person in the world who likes the instigator rule is Colin Campbell! And yet, he totally undermines the rule that he's the most vocal proponent of.

And with his long history of inconsistent decisions, you have to seriously question the man's mental faculties, when it comes to decision making.

He's the guy in the Monty Python Argument sketch who automatically takes a contrary position. Only in Campbell's case, he's always on the opposite side of reason, logic, consistency, and good judgment.

As much as I would like to see this guy get what he deserves, I don't want Lucic or Thornton do anything that would put the B's behind the eight ball. When we have three goal lead in game seven then I think he should watch his back.

What a joke! Colin Campbell and the NHL office are a complete joke! Brick's right with his ananysis of the inconsistency of their rulings...can't wait til Walker is handed in beating in Game 6!

If Ward played in Montreal he would of been carried off the ice to a waiting ambulance with lights and sirens on. The Montreal press would be reporting hourly by his bedside.

If Walker played for the Bruins he would of been suspended 5 games by Campbell

Even with the league's inconsistency, this is really surprising.

Carolina was chippy as hell all third period, and you'd like to think that the Bruins would be compensated for being as level-headed as they were. Instead, we're possibly out one guy, and they're off with a slap on the wrist.

The message is clear: fight back, because the league doesn't have your back. Problem is, that's the opposite of the official line. When we do fight back, who's to say they won't suddenly re-reinterpret the rules?

If that were Ovie or Sid instead of Aaron Ward, Walker would be banned from professional hockey for life... Is it to much to ask for a little disciplinary consistency?

Be on the lookout, Stall. Now that we know a hard slash to the ankle and a sucker punch to the face is not suspension-worthy, you should be very afraid of what's coming your way...

Line him up, knock him down. Line him up, knock him down. Line him up, knock him down. After that? Let's have Thornton or Looch tune him up.

Pathetic...I hope Lucic knocks out Ruutu and Chara beats on Staal for the rest of the series

The NHL shouldn't have even fined Walker. I agree with the rest of you, this ruling sucks.

What a disgrace. Any ideas on why Campbell decided not to follow the rule regarding the automatic suspension for the instigator? The plus side of this is Walker will be a nice reminder on the ice. If either team is leading late, let's count the guys who could destroy him: Thornton, Lucic, Stuart, Chara, and the little kid on the Jumbotron. As for Tuesday, they'll stay legal but first BOS-CAR game of the 09-10 regular season? There will be blood.

Maurice and Rutherford suck.

Sorry, jimmuy, that's bullcrap. Ward was sucker punched, no ifs, ands or buts about it.

"Ward will learn" - give me a break! This is a longtime NHL veteran with three Stanley Cup rings, not some dumb rookie. He knows the rules, and the code. Walker broke both.

As for Rutherford, what a jerk. Where have the Bruins thrown sucker punches?

The only good thing about the lack of a suspension is that Walker will be hearing footsteps all night.

I'm glad he didn't get suspended...I can't wait til Gino Lucic knocks his teeth down his throat!!!

I think it's better having Walker in the game rather than suspending him. I want the Bs to have that much more motivation... And we play better when angry and more physical...

I just wonder how long it'll take before a Bruin throws down the gloves with him.

I can't say I'm surprised....Campbell has continually shown that he is an inconsistent fool....I say wait until next year to go after this Walker bozo. If you skate around attacking him at every turn tomorrow, the B's will lose the game. Play the way you did last night and bring it back to Boston for Game 7 and it would be better revenge.

For $2,500, any team can smash in the face of any player at the conclusion of any game. The NHL recommends that you spend your money well and go after the skilled players like E. Staal!

LOL, quit your whining and crying Booins fans, you got your mulligan with the LaRose goal that was called no goal in game 2 from the league office...the Canes just took their mulligan. Broken orbital bone for Ward...come on, who is the Doctor??? Dr. Pepper? Dr. Scholl's? And how about that soccer flop and roll by so called Big Z??? That was an Academy Award performance worthy of the Best Actor Oscar!

Morons - Ward was engaged with another player when Walker was the third man in. There was never any fight or pretense of a fight. Walker skated up to him and punched him. You are truly a clueless idiot when it comes to hockey if you think one guy can confront another and punch him, and blame the guy who was just standing there at a whistle.

Since the NHL didn't have the backbone to enforce the rules, the Bruins' players will have to do it for them. If the score of the next game becomes out of hand ( a 3 goal lead) the result may end someone's career. Colin Campbell, you are solely responsible for the injuries/fights that will occur in Carolina if Milan Lucic finds himself on the ice at the same time as Scott Walker. Be ready, because the Bruins will be.

MDP, what are you a band wagon jumper?? did you watch any of the regular season last year? Reich played wing and D (kinda like monty and hunwich did a couple times this year). And i haven't heard anyone say Ward is ready to go yet. I hope he is, but if he has a broken orbital bone, then he isnt seeing too well and if you cant see its going to be hard to be effective.

Walker probably won't dress for game 6, and he's not worth it, anyway. Forget that puke. Go after Staal or run Ward if/when the time is right. Most importantly, put some more pucks in the back of the net and come back for a game 7. This is no time to start taking stupid penalties. Let the Canes do that.

Fine. But the league has now given the Bruins a free pass to exact revenge, and there damn sure better not be ANY repurcussions for whatever the Bruins decide to do.

Shows how Car can't even lose w/ dignity. The B's got crushed for the middle 3 games. How much chippy play was there? ZERO. Carolina gets pasted this game, and it's cheap shot central. Nice organization.

on to game 6, i hope the bruins worry about retaliation, it wil take them off their game.. watch the games! how many times has the big oak tree chopped at the canes players..

I guess we all know the boundaries the B's will have tomorrow during the game based on the lack of any type of penalty that walker received.

Who's policing this league?? Stu Jackson???

dinz - if you lose game 6 (and I am convinced the Bruins will be hitting everything in sight like in game 5) you lost the series.....

15 points this year...I want him in the lineup, that will be his punishment. I would be embarrased to be a 'Canes fan, besides living in a region that knows nothing about ice or hockey, their team is a bunch of pansies that cower when challenged and praised for sucker punching..and Staal is a rat

The lack of class displayed by the Cane's regarding this incident is disgusting. Rather than taking responsibility for Walker's gutless actions, all that Maurice and Rutherford can muster are jokes and excuses.

jimmuy, did you even watch the game? Or the replay? That's the dumbest comment o f the day, and that's saying a lot.

Take another look. Walker came flying in while Ward was tangled up, Ward wheeled, dropped his hands as if to say I'm not getting into this. Then Walker cold-cocked him.

Bruins have to keep their cool. They should come out in game 6 with controlled fury. There's a time for payback, but this isn't it.

This is total BS!! How on earth is this right? The minute Lucic or someone hits a Carolina player, bam, in the box, suspended, whatever! They just need to stick to what they did to get to 1st in the conference tomorrow night.. then in game 7, score and put some people faces through the ice. Teach them a lesson AFTER you ensure the conference finals. There is no way the league will let the Bruins do what they deserve to do back to them, and win the game at the same time!

And to make it worse, nothing even said to Jokinen for the obvious slash on Chara? What are these people watching?

JSF, which games were you watching? I saw Chara smack Pitaknen across the face three times with his glove while Pitaknen was down on the ice and there wasn't anything done. I think the entire series has been chippy by both teams.

Let me get this right. In the Montreal series Lapierre was the third man in coming at Lucic and Lucic protected himself from any cheap shot. Lucic gets suspended for intent to injure.

Walker is third man in coming at Ward and, unlike Lucic, does nothing to protect himself and gets a cheap shot. Walker gets no suspension. Can we agree that a punch to the face of a defenseless Ward has just as much intent to injure as Lucic's cross check?

Come on Ward, don't you know that you don't fight with your face, you use your fist. one thing for sure, you can't say " boy, I did not see that coming"

Is Rutherford serious????? Seriously, show me ANY evidence to support this ridiculous claim.....

The best revenge is winning game 6, and bringing game 7 back to the Garden to wrap up the series. Just stay level headed boys. Play like you did in game 5 and everything will work out just fine. Walker and the rest of the Canes playing golf this time next week will be revenge enough!

The worst part is Rutherford condones it. He is in a position of authority. What an idiot.

This is a joke I want a direct line to the NHL. I hope the league office burns down.

Another ridiculous ruling, but even more ridiculous are all the people commenting about Walker getting it in Game 6. If ANY Bruins' player takes a penalty exacting "revenge" out on a nobody like Walker, then it's Julien who should be fired. Their job is to win, not be morons.
It would be nice to see someone wind up and lay a nice Bobby Clarke slash on Jokinen just to see what happens, but I think we all know if they have a B on their jersey it's worth a suspension, so, never mind.
Win now. Destroy Walker and Jokinen next year.

The best payback will be a W in Game 6.

Wait until next season to extract revenge on Walker. (Wasn't payback on Steve Begin from last year's playoff games extracted in a preseason game; then Thornton had to take on Big George in first regular season when payback went forpayback?)

This incident has the potential to distract the Bruins from the mission of Game 6. Let it go, but don't forget it. The mission is to score at least 1 goal more than the Canes in Game 6.

And someone tell Lucic that if the Bs have Game 6 in hand, there is still a Game 7, so not to do something stupid in the third period that may result in him sitting in Game 7.

Thi is total absurdity! Lets hope the B's use this as the ultimate motivation.

Its in the friggin' rule book as a rule. If they don't follow it, why bother making it a rule? I am going to call Colin asap!

I hope the B's wont be distracted about this whole thing. Play physical, play smart. Take the (yahoo) crowd out of the game early, no way the B's lose in Game 7!!!
The Bruins should somehow buy the rights to "Brass Bonanza"...

There won't be a game 7.

shane-o
Typical Boston reaction!!! Insults flying!!! No wonder the rest of the country likes to see the Sox and Bruins fail!!!
If it was the other way around it would be OK. Ward had it coming. He threw a high elbow at Cully AFTER the play!!! Walker was defending his teamate and Ward doesnt have the sense to realize he's about to get his butt kicked or didnt want to mess with him. As for Lucic, I hope they go-he may want to ask Andrew Alberts or Ward for that matter what Walker can bring. Be carefull what you wish for!!!! Canes in SIX!!!!

Ward was saying "Let's do this" in hopes of goading Walker into taking a stupid penalty. Theory: Let the other guy drop his gloves and have him take the tour of the sin-bin. Well... it worked! It hurt an awful lot, but it worked. Next time maybe he'll try to rethink the concept. Pretty dumb for an incredibly smart guy. We can call him the Human Punching Bag to go along with Charo the Human Pylon.

I will gladly put up the $2,500 for Looch spin Wlaker around from behind and smash his face.

$2,500 fine? That's petty cash to a player making 6 or 7 figures a year.

This joke of a decision could be the best thing for the B's... the boys will be riled up and ready to knock the Canes' heads off... Walker's got to be shaking right now, because there's no way he's getting out of this series without some missing teeth

Just watch how the refs call game 6...you can bet the B's will get SCREWED.

Total BS -- but taking the series is the best punishment.

Hockey players have long memories.... wait for next year for this one!

Did anyone notice Ward still had his stick in his hand? Don't give me that " he should have been ready for it" crap. Colin Campbell makes me embarrassed to be a hockey fan today.

I laugh as I read all of these comments as I imagine that thick Bostonian accent. Lead my haas to watta in Bahstan. Ha Ha Ha! lmao

walker and jokinen are going to get killed before this series is over. But not until the bruins have a commanding lead in game 7

Wow, what a bunch of tough guys the Canes hockey operations dept is.... And you're wrong PAK DA CAA. Real hockey players do wait till the other guy has a chance to get his gloves off before throwing a punch. Walker's a punk. That was a sucker punch. The Canes acted like pansies and embarrassed themselves yesterday.

CanadaCanes, Chara doing a soccer flop? Have you EVER taken a stick to the ankle? Okay then be quiet. It hurts like hell and there's virtually ZERO padding. Not to mention the ice that the players are skating on usually cold (freezing, I'm told) and makes things like that a bit more painful.

Academy Award nothin - it was a blatant slash and Chara wouldn't be going down like that unless he was in pain.

Did anyone actually see the altercation because you all don't have a clue. I watched Ward everytime he was on the ice, because he was one of my favorites when he was here in Raleigh. He had something to say to Walker everytime, hip checked him several times, cross checked him several times, slashed him several times, and, just before the punch was thrown, he had something else to say. Walker had had enough and knocked him out!

Tim Thomas said it all after game 5. If they players, who see chippy stuff all the time, think it's ridiculous then forget the fans, it's ridiculous. It's obvious Canes fans posting here should stick to the ACC and NASCAR. There's a big difference between a facewash directly in front of a player, a suckerpunch and a slash across the ankle from behind. To say they're equivalent is indicative of ignorance.

"Rule 56a: A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at any time in overtime, shall be assessed an instigator minor penalty, a major for fighting, a ten minute misconduct and an AUTOMATIC ONE GAME SUSPENSION." I didn't realize that the rulebook was arbitrary and open to reinterpretation at any given moment by one individual. Glad to see that Campbell thinks that the fine should only be about 10% of what Ward's medical bills will be if it's seriously broken. I'm betting he gives Jokinen a stern finger wagging for the cowardly slash away from the puck. THAT was worth $2500. Walker should have been gone a game AND fined $10k. You can't have any debate about violence in the sport when you don't send a consistent message in response to attempts to injure that aren't mutual combat. Such garbage.

Colin Campbell says he's against head shots but allows them to go on. He suspends Lucic for a lesser crime. WHAT A JOKE!

I thought Jokinen's "intent to injure" slash was worse. But Campbell's OK with the losing team teeing off when they are down and out.

THE NHL IS A JOKE. Its like boxing and wrestling. I am ashamed that I even watch sometimes.

"There won't be a game 7." You keep telling yourself that, chooch. I guess you weren't watching the same game the rest of us were, the one where the Bruins played the way they have for most of the season: Like the best eam in the Conference. If you think this didn't just light a large fire under a team that had already woken up from a two game slumber, you OBVIOUSLY haven't seen any Bruins games this year. Buy some extra tissues for Tuesday.

Did most of you not watch the replay. There was no sucker punch. Ward left his hands at his side for some reason???. It is a shame he was injured but there was nothing wrong with Walker throwing that punch. It should be interesting to see how this series ends up. I think this might just have given Boston the motivation they have needed.

I'm blown away. The league office is a complete joke. I don't think we'll have to worry about the Bruins getting ready for game 6. Across the board the Bruins are a stronger & tougher team than Carolina. Don't poke the bear ... too late.

The Bruins will take the series and Walker will get knocked out by Lucic in the 3rd Period of Game 7. They awoke the sleeping Giant!

Take revenge on the scoreboard. That is where it belongs. Colin Campbell needs to get a grip on these rulings before one of these thugs seriously hurts someone.

Just the motivation the Bruins need...a conspiracy theory promoted by the league to prevent justice for a deliberate intent to injure.

NHL is a joke.

Not much to be added that hasn't already been said. The fact of the matter is that hockey is self-policed by the players on the ice. History has shown that relying on the league bureaucracy to dole out punishment only leads to disappointment. Especially in the playoffs the Bruins can't rely at all on anyone except themselves. And speaking of officiating, there are two many officials on the ice to begin with. When the NHL increased the number of on-ice striped shirts, the officiating got worse and the game slowed down because they are invariably in the way. The NHL has blown this call, so at some point in the future, this will all be taken care of.

Discipline, guys! Use all of that energy and anger to put pucks in the back of the net Game 6 to force Game 7. Then do it again at the Garden. We've learned TWO lessons here: The NHL does not follow its own rules EXCEPT if a Bruin is behind the infraction -- then the player is punished to the max. Keep that in mind and keep your cool. Also remember how the games went when Chara focused on just Staal and not on the big picture -- we need more games like 1 and 5.

And whoever claims Chara wasn't slashed hard on the lower leg wasn't watching the game. First off, Chara has more class than to fake anything. Second, we've
seen similar hits to other players actually break bones, forcing them out for several games.

As fans of the Bruins we should all be embarrassed by the dive Chara took at the end of the second!

Fine. Walker should then be arrested by the MA State Police for assault and battery after stepping off the plane a Logan prior to game 7.

How would Walker know what was being said as he wasnt even the person that Ward was mixing it up with at first. Walker came over as a 3rd man. I dont even understand how the NHL can dismiss the suspension. Isnt the instigator call in the last few minutes of a game an automatic suspension? He got the insdtigator call so thats that! I mean if Lucic got 1 game for his hit in the Montreal series then this deserves the same.

Lucic gonna get Walker? LOL. Gleason already pound him into the ice last year. Walker got the punishment he deserved. Ward has a big mouth and gets it shut from time to time. Brashear knocked him out after fighting Shanny while skating to the box and only got a game, Probert knocked him out too. He will player better with a cage the girl that he is.

Up here in the north we know enough not to antagonize bears.

No, Hondo, the little Tarzan isn't mine. Was he on TV or were you at the game?

For those who don't know, that little kid has been featured in the intro video all year at the games - they got video of him pulling off his shirt and doing the Tarzan thing, and they play it all the time. People love it. So last night he was at the game, and did it live, with the B painted on his chest, and people went nuts. Everyone recognized him from the video.

Carolina should be ashamed. Busch league. All of you Canes fans ask yourself.
Did the Bruins act like a bunch of goons while loosing the previous games. The Bruins have half a dozen guys that will go with anyone along with top notch scoring talent. What does Carolina have Stall, Ward and a bunch of nobodies.
Nothing like "punishing" a guy that makes 6 or 7 figures with a fine equivalent to a TV or a lawn tractor.

I wonder if Campbell would take a punch in the face for $2,500?

"it was my understanding that I was engaged in an altercation."
-Walker

The B's should remember that line.

If the B's are losing in the 3rd tomorrow night, they better absolutely ERASE this guy. What about the 2-handed slash on Chara? No penalty there?

Count me as one who thinks the best revenge is forcing game 7. No stupid penalties, just use it as motivation! If the B’s continue to play like game 5, (welcome to the party boys, glad you decided to show up!), they should win, but for having no margin for error.

As for that hack who called play-by-play with Brick, (I refuse to learn or remember his name; he’s a hack announcer in a 3rd tier market, so who cares), those of us who watch on Center Ice package had to endure his continuing blustering during game 4, including his embarrassing rant at the end of the game when he was crowing about how the Cane’s are always hearing they haven’t seen the best of the Bruins, well when are they going to, none of the “other markets” gave the Canes any respect, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. So it was especially gratifying to hear his calling on Versus, when he must have been watching and thinking, “oh, so this is what the best of the Bruins looks like. Oops.”

And that hyper kid better have at least gotten 3rd Star of the game last night, at minimum! Keep in Bitz! Get better Ward! And bring that kid on the road and suit him up again!

Come on Ward, everyone knows you fight with your fist, .... not your face. one thing is for sure, Ward can not say, "boy, i did not see that coming". don't say lets do it, and then say just kidding.

Beat it SabresGuy. You're an idiot. Kermit Washington agrees that there was nothing wrong with that punch.

Wow, even for Colin Campbell, this is unbelievable. He doesn't deserve to keep his job after this disgrace. There is no rhyme or reason to how he handles disciplinary situations. No suspension for one of the worst sucker punches I've ever seen! This is far worse than what got Donald Brashear a 5-game suspension. I'm not even a Bruins fan, but B's fans everywhere should be enraged by Campbell's utter incompetence in this matter!

Bruins better be careful in how they choose to extract their revenge though. Can't get caught up in that at this stage in the series. You will be better served to wait until next seaston for that stuff, unless of course you build a big lead late in Game 7!

I don't think the B's should get revenge against Walker. I think they should wait until they play the Florida Panthers again and introduce themselves to Colin Campbell's son Gregory. Seems only right. B's beat the Canadians, so Colin Campbell takes his revenge out on the B's. Campbell screws the B's, so they welcome Gregory to the NHL.

Tru Caniac - say what you want about the incident - you know deep down this isn't what the Canes needed.... something that further galvanizes the Bruins making them feel even more isolated, cornered (now also by the league) and desparate than they already were... You're f'ing toast if you lose game six.

Good Luck.

"It was my understanding that I was engaged in an altercation."

So be it.

First - all of you idiotic 'Canes fans that won't admit it was a cheap shot... how was it not? He was engaged with someone else, Walker comes over and elbows Ward, then before Ward could even get the gloves off, Walker sucker punches him. Please explain to me how that's not a cheap shot. If someone on the Bruins did that to the 'Canes, I'd still say its a cheap shot.

Second - B's fans, stop complaining about the slash on Chara. It wasn't *THAT* hard of a slash, he just happened to catch him in a bad place. It could have been much harder. Though, I do agree that Jokkinen is a P.O.S. and a d-bag.

Thirdly - Again, 'Canes fans, how do you come on here and claim Chara is diving after he was slashed, yet where were you admitting to Jokkinen's diving clinic that he's put on in this series? Its okay though, you're either just coming onto a Boston Bruins blog to get some excitement out of Bruins fans or you're complete morons.

There's no need to go crazy with the retaliation on Walker. Once the game is sealed up (either way) let Lucic or Thornton fight him. Simple as that. No need for something dirty or uncalled for (like a sucker punch), just let someone fight him when the outcome of the game has been decided. Until then, use it as fuel for the fire to come out and play like they did last night and win the game.

The most surprising thing from all of this is how classless the GM and coach have been. I'm not really shocked by the ruling because this is the NHL where Bettman and Campbell make the rules as they go along. No wonder hockey hasn't regained the recognition and fan base it once had before the lockout. How this hit is any different than Lucic's shot in thefirst series against the Habs, I'm not really sure, it makes no sense to me.

No consistency in the league office. The rule is in the book. Black and white. Cut and dried. Bruins need to do the difficult thing the rest of the way -- Turn the other cheek. Anything that even looks like retaliation will earn suspensions. I don't care about fines. Fines are nothing to these guys. There's plenty of time for payback next season

What comes around goes around comes around Boston......Seen a few Bruins jump and sucker punch alot of players this year so I'm glad to see Walker was not suspended. Milana Lucic has never sucker punched anyone has he??

This should work in the B's favor. Walker only succeeding in helping to wake the bear, and now he'll have to skate with his head on a swivel tomorrow night. Be afraid Hurricanes, be afraid!

Jim Rutherford is a Jackass!

"After our team received several punches throughout the series leading up to Game 5, it was a matter of time before one was going to be thrown back."

Are you kidding me Jim, I can't wait till Neely comes in to your Suite box on Tuesday night, and tosses you a haymaker!

A lot of whinning going on here. Geeze the guy's got at least try to protect himself. Ward was giving out some serious cross-check action just seconds earlier. Then he tries to bait Walker into a penalty. Brave, I guess, or maybe just stupid, but he should know better than just to stick his jaw out there like a pinata and not expect to get dropped. For what it's worth, I fully expect the B's to try to get retrobution, but instead of chasing Walker all over the ice, trying to "even the score", how about winning the game and closing out the series.....that would say alot more in my book.

What a joke. What happened to the automatic one game suspension? Even Barry Melrose said give him five games and he is a big fighting guy.

The worst part about this is that what happened is in clear violation of NHL Rule 47.22 (look it up), which states that any instigator penalty within the last 5 minutes of regulation (or overtime) results in an automatic 1-game suspension. If the game is considered settled (like a 4-0 game), then the penatly is doubled (that makes 2 games).

The last line even states “No team appeals will be permitted either verbally or in writing regarding the assessment of this automatic suspension.”

So explain to me how this doesn’t warrant a suspension at all? Regardless of which team you root for, the rules are in place for a reason, and they are crystal clear, black and white. Only one word comes to mind: retarded

Enough crying B's fans, you handle this like Taz or Wensink or Byers or Miller or Linseman would. You wait and when the time is right, this year if they Canes look like they are going to knock you off, or at some point next year, you grab Walker and smash his skull through the ice. Chara, Thornton or Lucic is more than able to ruin Walkers world.
In many ways this is a good thing, the Bruins play better when pissed off. Walker may have cost the Canes this series, if he has it works out for the best. Win now make him pay later.

the Carolina fans on this message board reinforce my opinion that hockey shouldn't be in Carolina.....comparing common scrums and body contact in the crease that occur after mostly every whistle in every hockey game at every level to swinging your stick like a baseball bat to someone's ankle and throwing a right hook sucker punch??? stick with NASCAR.....

and another thing, maybe Walker had to resort to a cheap shot after Conboy started 2 fights, and got his a$$ kicked in both of them....maybe he thought the only way to get the upper hand on a Bruin is to sucker one.......

the nhl once again has become a joke.paul maurice should just put on a dress for the next game?sore knuckles paul have you even won a fight in your life.shawn thornton or chara will take care of the gutless walker when the time is right.tim conboy my sister can throw him a beating faster then thornton did the other night.

The stupidity of some of the fair weather Bruins and hockey fans amaze me sometimes. Your losing the series but up by 3 goals with 7 minutes left the LAST thing you do as your what (second best d-man is take a penalty for fighting) and give up a power play goal with more than 5 minutes. Not only THAT but a unwritten rule of hockey fighting is you wait til you drop the gloves, period....now for the Chara dive..what dive? Half you morons couldn't skate with a milk crate let alone take a whack from a professional hockey player off the bone of the ankle, shut up and go watch Red Sox and your pansy pink hats and let the real Bruins fans have some dialogue. Now, as for a prediction, Im saying Bs in seven. Being a hockey player myslef like some of you, you KNOW they are chomping at the bit to play...

"Charo the Human Pylon"
Carolina Canuck, do you even know icing from offsides?
How did Kessel score his second goal? Easy, because Staal couldn't leg it up ice because Chara had abused him that whole shift and he was sucking wind. Who was bearing down on your goalie, opening the lane??...thats right...the human pylon!
Any Cane fan that can defend the ankle chop by Jokinen or punching a guy who hasn't dropped his gloves should just go back to watching NASCAR (at least we'll admit you guys know something about that "sport").

Carolina's biggest mistake was waking the sleeping bear. The Bruins have not had that emotional jolt we saw against Montreal. Now they have it in spades. The coaching staff will need to make sure that the boys keep their cool long enough to win this series. The officials I'm sure will be warned (then again, maybe not considering the actions of the NHL politburo) to call anything and everything. This could get out of hand quickly but I'm guessing the Bruins take the high road and look to hurt the 'Canes on the scoreboard first, then with their fists once the series has been decided. To be sure, next year's first game with this team should be a barn burner.

I had thought that Jim Rutherford had more class that this. Takes his moment to be a stand-up class act and turns it into a true red neck dirt bag response.

The league needs to start implementing standard disciplinary actions for crap like this. You shouldn't be allowed to sucker punch somebody in the face because you're frustrated. Same way Ovechkin shouldn't be allowed to leg check Sergei Gonchar's knee and not get in trouble for it. They made such a big deal about the "new NHL" and it just seems like a bunch of the same old garbage to me.

What a bunch of cry babies in Boston. None of you Bruins fans can even be remotely related to the tough men in Boston that started the American Revolution.

Now the B's are mad. Oh boy! We are just shaking in fear here in Carolina. One good game by the B's in the last 4 games and all of sudden the Bruins are all Superman. It doesn't work that way guys.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The Boston cheap shots get one back and they can't ake it.

Well I can not say I am suprised seems Colin Campbell can not get anything right. This is why the NHL has ratings' issues. "They" want to stop fighting in Hockey, but "they" do not discipline actions like last nights, and then there is now the potential for an even bigger issue. What happens if the game is out of rech tomorrow night?? Well there is only one things left to do, WIN the series and then we as fans can watch the Canes with the dejected looks on their faces. Discipline will be key in the victory tomorrow night.

What games have you people been watching. I guess you missed when Dennis Seidenberg was on his knees and got punched in the face twice. Or when in the same after the whistle play Savard took swings at one of the Canes. Ward has been talking trash and not backing it up since he was in Detroit. He loves to turtle when the gloves come off but this time he was not quick enough.

What a bunch of whiners you bandwagon Bruins fans are, when you drop the gloves, expect to get punched. Its about time for the bRuins and their riff raff fans to go into hibernation for the summer.

Joke. Yes, I am a Bruins fan but I am also a hockey fan. The fact that the NHL suspends Lucic in Montreal and FINES Walker here is absurd. Just following "the code" eh boys? Well...Aaron Ward's face appreciates it!

People say "Ward said something that made it clear they were going to go" or "He should have defended himself". Anyone who plays knows when it's time to go...and given by Ward's stunned reaction (not moving on inch) and Walker's turn and fire...this was not arranged.

The NHL should be ashamed of themselves. Set the tone for kids will ya? Not the right way to play the game which is essentially what you are saying.

None of you Bruins fans can even be remotely related to the tough men in Boston that started the American Revolution.

Or won the Civil War?

What a classless act Carolina turned out to be. Rutherford's remark was pathetic and Walker sounded like he was reading a statement from Carolina's front office - not a surprise, as he probably can't string that many words together in a single sentence. If he's on the ice tomorrow night, he'll be watching his backside!

Be angry, B's!

Yes, The Brick when you drop your gloves you should expect to get punched. However I'm pretty sure Ward's gloves were still on when Walker hit him. It might be more of a punishment for him to play anyway. He'll be spending half his shifts looking over his shoulder.

I'm amazed Carolina fans can actually write to post comments. Whou would have thought red necks could read.

Of course Jim Rutherford is completely satisfied, I would be too if one of my guys attacked another player, unprovoked, seriously injured him and got away with it. If memory serves Marty McSorley (Bruins player) had his career ended because he whacked Donald Brashear (not Bruins player) in the head and gave him a concussion. McSorley was suspended for the remainder of the playoffs and the following year, never played again. Talk about double standards. Guess the NHL would rather see the Cup go to that hockey hot bed of Raleigh than return to an original 6 team where it belongs

get out the foil

You know, I sort of miss the trash talking Habs fans from the first series. They can be a PITA but you also know that the majority actually understand the game of hockey. It's like some unwritten law. They HAVE to understand. The Canes fans trolling around here on the other hand clearly don't get it. Any time a Bruin checks one of their players into the boards or touches them in any manner they call it a cheap shot. No Canes Kids....its called HOCKEY.

millerscourt
I guess your right hockey does not belong in Carolina we have only had two finals appearances and one cup in the last 8 years. When was the Bruins last cup?

why am I thinking about kyle mclaren's hit against Montreal when the B's were up 3-1, it turned that series around. I guarantee the B's bring this back to Boston for game 7. Colin Campbell is a joke

Trolls, trolls, trolls, everywhere you look. Ahh, where would the internets be without trolls...

Hey Brick, Ward never dropped his gloves....so you FAIL

Bruins in 7...and Julien will drop Maurice at center ice after the B's win the game

Not really surprised. It's a crapshoot really when it comes to the NHL.

So let's recap...

Brashear, 5 game suspension
Lucic, 1 game suspension for putting his hands up to defend against a charging Hab
Komisarek, told to get stronger sticks so they don't snap over someones face as easy
Kostoupolos, told to make his eye gouging less obvious next time
Walker, told to nevermind the whole rulebook thing and just hand over $2500, 0.1% of his salary.

@ The Brick...Ward didn't drop his gloves...Walker was the third man in and punched him...hence the outrage. Know the situation before speaking next time.

yeah, it's a joke. But, as a commentator on the NHL network said, what makes the Bruins really play well is 'hatred.' That's what they went in with against the Habs. Keeping Walker in Game 6 would only fuel them on that emotion.

When the Bs play with the 'big bad' adjective, they win. I think they just found it yesterday. Thank you, Walker, for helping us carry it into tomorrow.

No problem, the B's will take matters into their own hands.

Chara never even got hit by Jokinen. Watch the video and you will see Jokinen's stick hit the ice and not Chara.

Fighting has NO PLACE in hockey. Never has and never will. Slows down the game. Only the ignorants cheer fights (vs clean checks) and but then the morons in the media and the NHL itself promotes it. College and high school hockey has cleaned up fighting making for a faster and more exiting game and the NHL should also.

To all the Carolina fans that say Boston has been throwing cheap shots... please give me an example. Oh you can't? Why not? Oh, because there hasn't been any? Thought so.

Facewashing and crease scrums != suckerpunch = Walker.

Think this decision looks bad now? Wait until it is revealed that Ward has a broken orbital bone.

Make no mistake the Bruins will get their payback before the series is over and the NHL will likely have another decision regarding suspension.

It is amazing to see how bruins fans react when they have done similar acts and have gotten away with it all ward had to do was but his hands up or just go down he needs to quit being a baby and sack up he took a punch from one of the littlest guys on the team c'mon wardo your a bit tougher than that, atleast i hope your tougher than chara haha what at joke for someone that size

As Canes fans we spend our entire day reading about NASCAR (actually I have never seen more then 15 seconds of a race) looks like Canes fans may not be the only Nascar rednecks.

The recent merger between Roush Racing and the Fenway Sports Group promises to give NASCAR more of a presence among one of the most dedicated fan bases in all of sports, an effort which began in earnest Friday when Nextel Cup drivers threw out first pitches before a Red Sox game, and continues Sunday when Carl Edwards wheels a Red Sox car. There's the track itself, closer to Boston than Dover is to Baltimore, Richmond is to Washington, Pocono is to Philadelphia, or Watkins Glen is to New York. The 91,000-seat facility is sold out for the 25th consecutive time dating back to its inaugural NASCAR weekend in 1993.

Those people have to come from somewhere, and they come from a part of the country that has long known and loved racing. Boston is the hub of a New England region with racing roots stretching back decades, through a myriad of short tracks that have produced scores of late model and modified drivers. There are places like Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine, which hosted NASCAR's big show three times, saw Richard Petty celebrate in Victory Lane, and is still around today. So is Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut, where David Pearson and Bobby Isaac once took checkered flags.

c

Learn how to write and then come back to the message boards, Josh.

I'm not even a Bruins fan, but I was shocked that this guy didn't get suspended. Is there anyone actually running this league?

Paging Mr. Thornton, paging Mr. Shawn Thornton.
We have a job for you Mr. Thornton.
You see Mr. Walker over there .....

Oh and while we're at it. Paging the paramdeics, please have the stretcher ready.

I have not read all of the above but here is what I said in the Herald..... "Colon" Campbell does is the poster child for the NHL enigma. I really don't understand the rules as they apply. Lucic must be going WTF is going on here. The above posting by #34 is absolutely correct. If it was Crosby or Ovie, he would have been suspended! BTW I know Walker is not a great player but let us have some modicum of consistency in the Nothing Happens League!

John K....Jokinen was behind Chara. If he hit the ice and not Chara, how did Chara know to fake it? I thought it was a cheap shot and that Chara's reaction was also a little extreme, but what you're saying makes no sense unless Chara was looking up at the big screen the whole time.

Canes fans are much worse than Hab fans on here, main reason is they haven't a clue about hockey. Like someone said above, stick to your NASCAR, we'll handle the hockey up here north of the Mason Dixon. And serious LOL at the guy talking about the American Revolution....man.

Bruins will take this momentum through game seven, GO BRUINS GO.

I couldn't care less about ward getting suckerpunched, but the reason it deserves a suspension is because Walker broke a RULE, not a judgement, not a open to conversation intent to injure, but a RULE, that was set in place and has been completely ignored in the playoffs. You can not get an instigating penalty at the end of the game, if you do you are AUTOMATICALLY suspended for a game. NHL, please follow the rules you yourselves wanted in place. This is another reason why penalties should carry over to the beginning of the next game. You can just run amuck at the end of a blowout game with no consequences

Walker better have his head on a swivel; soemone's going to hurt him.

This is an example of how the greatest game in the world ends up looking like WWF on skates. Shouldn't the League at least have waited to see how serious Ward's injury is? So, Ward might be lost for the season and Walker can play?

B's win Game 7 and refuse the handshake after the game. Now that would be a statement...to the Canes and the League.

//Chara never even got hit by Jokinen. Watch the video and you will see Jokinen's stick hit the ice and not Chara.//

Nice try, pal, but Jokinen admitted he did it.

Fans who have never skated or played hockey, or know little about it, shouldn't be making judgements or comments. A two-hander on the ankle hurts like hell, no matter how big and strong you are. A sucker punch is a sucker punch, saying a guy deserves it because he was "trash-talking" is ridiculous - news flash: Trash-talking on the ice goes on ALL THE TIME in NHL games. Yes, shocking, isn't it?

The only thing more ludicrous than the commissioner's decision and Rutherford's comments are the insanely moronic statements here by trolling Carolina fans. Please, folks, you're embarrassing yourselves.

Ward has been a bully and run and hide guy all his career especially when he was with Carolina. Now he gets laid out by a little guy and all you hear are Bruin fans wanting to make the bully the good guy.

Did Ward drop his gloves?...I never saw that! I see a League rule that was ignored by The League, It's a sucker-punch, plain and simple. I say send out the 4th line to beat the snot out of the Canes on the opening face-off, Hanson Brothers style! Take runs at Ward all night long! Tomorrow's game will be a brutal one for Carolina. They don't have THE GRAPES to play Walker tomorrow night! They DEFINITELY won't want to come back here for Game 7 and all the Carolina punks will shut TF up. Go back to Dick Trickle (don't they have medicine for that now?). Driving....now THERE's a Sport... Most of us do this everyday. It's a bunch of left turns without directionals. But it's a Sport??? NO, it's an activity, much like walking....a way to get from here to there.

I'm sick of hearing about patience and being level headed. Go for the throat and take no prisoners. The Whalers are a bunch of paper dolls. Beat them from the start. If penalties ensue, then so be it. Take no prisoners and rip the RBC Center apart. If push comes to shove, take out a few Caniacs with a shoe as well.

Let's not forget, the Bruins DOMINATED every aspect of this game from start to finish (& they could have played better). This was not a close game. They (finally) were more physical & they out skated the Canes the way everyone knew they could. The Bruins went 4-0 vs. Carolina during the regular season winning games 4-2 twice & 5-1 twice. I'm sure Carolina feels they can "win it at home" but I have no doubt the Bruins will be bringing their A game. The Bruins were heavily favored to win this series but they slacked off for 3 games ... I don't see that happening again.

I love the folks who come here and say 1)no suspension deserved and 2) Bruins do the same thing. First of all, there is a rule in the book as pointed out above, no fighting with under 5 mintues left in a game. That's not Ward pulling an Avery, that's Ward following the rules so he can play next game. On that alone he should have been suspended, regardless of the injury. As to the second fictitious argument, the B's do not go around sucker punching and injuring players. Even when Looch got pegged for the cross check it was in self defense. Yes, Chara goes for the extra face wash, but that surely isnt the same as breaking bones. Learn the rules before you keep posting such foolish comments, and stop commenting until you actually watch a current season of the Bruins. Man what a Joke Cambell has turned this league into.

John K,
The replay on TV made it pretty clear it hit him. Not hard, but it was a hit.
The Youtube video doesn't seem to show the same angle.

You know what. I'm ok with this. If anything, piss off the Bruins that much more. If they can control their rage and hatred and focus it on checking, puck movement, solid defense, and creating quality scoring opportunities, Carolina is DONE.

This may be the fire lit under their a$$es that gets them to elevate their game to the next level and bring the cup home!

With that said tho....Colon Campbell is a POS and should be working the fry machine at McDonalds

You Boston "rednecks" are still "waiting" on a report on Wards face. LAUGHABLE!!!Cant you see he has no serious injury or you would have heard by now. It was being played up trying to force the suspension. Look at the tape, Ward wanted Cully but got Walker instead so he "turtled". You cant pick who your going to fight. Good for Walker and more power to the NHL for listening to BOTH SIDES!!! As far as hockey not "belonging" in Carolina. It will be there in full force Tuesday and Carolina IS NOT Montreal and the RBC center is IS NOT the Gahden (YUPPIE BOWL)-Thank God for that. CANES IN SIX!!!!!

I'm am shocked by Carolina and their fans and management. I expect this from Philly and Anaheim, but I thought the 'Canes were a classy bunch, including their Management. Then Maurice comes off trash-talking and Rutherford sounds like a fool. Are they catering to the NASCAR- loving inbred sister lovers from the trailer park that I see trolling here?

No retribution in this series. Wait 'till next year, and show them how to really get suspended.

Walker is a scrub having him out on the ice is to our advantage

All the goodwill from Glenn Wesley night has gone up in smoke. Will the peoples of the City of Boson and the City of Carolina ever be able to sit at the same table again? Pass the sweet potatoes Otis. Pass the sweet potatoes!!!

wow...the NHL must really be hurting for money...

and would canes fans just stop posting on a bruins blog? God, I wish you people had the same balls to walk into a bar here in boston with your canes jerseys on, cause you'd get the crap beat out of you...oh wait you would never do that cause you can all feel safe and sound behind your keyboards. Oooooh so tough!

wow...the NHL must really be hurting for money...

and would canes fans just stop posting on a bruins blog? God, I wish you people had the same balls to walk into a bar here in boston with your canes jerseys on, cause you'd get the crap beat out of you...oh wait you would never do that cause you can all feel safe and sound behind your keyboards. Oooooh so tough!

I can not believe this idiot is not suspended. The punch was a true sucker punch and if it had been a Bruin (Looch) there would have definatly been a suspension. UNBELIEVABLE

Wow, I didn't think it was possible...but apparently there *are* actually whinier hockey fans than Leaf fans??!!

The Cry is strong with this team.

Can't wait for him to get his a** kicked tomorrow night.

equine feces

It's no surprise...the NHL is a joke and this is proof.

barry melrose said this should have been a 5 game suspension. ps lucic is going to mess him up

This is a disgrace to the game of hockey; a travesty. I've seen multiple instances, both during the regular season, and playoffs of players being suspended for far less. Colin Campbell is a worthless joke, but I guarantee if a Bruin seeks vigilante justice they will be suspended. Paul Maurice also should have to step on the ice with Thornton or whomever after his disgusting comment about the situation.

Looks to me like this is an opening for one of the Bruins' to take out a Carolina player.

Skate up to him and punch his lights out while he still has his gloves on. How can that be anything more than a $2500 fine? The precendent is set. Let's go for it.

How can this man( C. Campbell )just change the rule? Ward was punched and no matter what this Man says the ref gave him the instigator penalty, and the rule is very clear.Can he just change the rule?How does the ref feel about this?
The call was made. The rule is clear. Why did he change the ruling?This is just not right.I hope there is a game 7and I hope Colin shows his face , but he won't .
Please come to Boston Mr Campbell.

There is actually a Carloina fan saying trhat Chara did not take a slash to his leg? Wow- what a moron.

Told ya.

All you Bruin's fans that think Carolina is a No-nothing-about-hockey-red-neck state, why the hell do you Northerners move here. The bumber sticker on my car says, "Welcome to North Carolina! Now, GO HOME!"
Break out the Tea Boston, you'll need it tomorrow night to sooth your woes!

Hockey loves this. In what other sport other than boxing and MMA can an athlete get away with throwing a punch at another player? Tennis? Golf? Baseball? Basketball? Football? Soccer? Pistol Shooting? Fencing? Swimming? LaCross? Nope. No where but hockey. It's a disgrace.

Who's this paak tha caa idiot? Oh, just another Carolina bandwagon fan. If the team is lousy and doesn't make the playoffs, it's back to the NCAA basketball, NASCAR, and Budweiser. Sounds like another jealous, anti-Boston sports fan. Go worry about your lousy teams instead of sounding off somewhere where you're despised. As for Walker, he's toast. Thornton, Lucic, Stuart, are examples of hard-punching Bruins who will serve justice properly. And JOKE-inen? Typical disappearing European, especially when his team can close out a series.

Your "Bumber" sticker?? HaHaHa!
Screw retaliation. Just win the game tomorrow. If the B's play their game they will dominate again. Be smart, fast, strong, clear the zone clean, and get to the net. I agree with other posters, I'll take the most obnoxious Habs fan over these "fans" from Carolina, at least they know hockey.

Oh Caniac,
Some tea to sooth our woes. Aren't you kind! Perhaps you'd like to come by a little later for some tea bagging as well?
We don't want to move to your state. Too many hurricanes and WalMarts. *blech* We like it here where the Bruins are. You know, a real hockey franchise with retired numbers that DESERVE to be in the rafters.

To our apparently Vietnamese friend Pak Daa Caa (You can't even insult us correctly!), the Bruins were not keeping an injury quiet in order to play to the NHL and appeal for a suspension. As any real hockey fan (You know, like us up here where it gets cold) knows, the NHL is notorious for keeping injuries quiet so scumbags on other teams (like, oh I don't know, Walker?) don't take liberties during the game and go after players' weak spots. Also, game planning for Johnny Boychuck at the #6 defenseman and someone else next to Chara is a lot different then planning for Ward/Chara. Boychuck, if you’re curious, is from the AHL. Translated to terms you can understand, that’s like the Nationwide Series to the NHL’s NASCAR. Therefore, even if it was broken, and it probably is, you won't hear about it from the Bruins brass because they want to keep things as close to the vest as possible. If you have any more questions on hockey, like how they clean the ice between periods or why late in close games the goalie skates to the bench even though his team is behind, then feel free to come back to the blog.

I hear you zappa ! If roles would have been reversed we know their would have been suspensions. WHEN DOES IT EVER STOP ! How can their be NO JUSTICE.
I got to give it the Bruins and management, very very classy. They don't cry like babies . I would not be able to stand it.
Frig ! Yesterday all the hockey people were saying he would get one game automatic , now why does the NHL decide to change and make this rule an exception !!!! Not right ! I can't believe this.
Who cares if WALKER is there or not, he SUCKS ANYWAYS ! IT'S THE PRINCIPLE THAT FREAKEN GETS ME !!!!

Caniac,
BUMBER sticker? Is that what they call them in NC? Now, I may be splitting hairs by calling you on your spelling error but the 'B' is nowhere near the 'P' on a keyboard.

"Sooth" is used to describe truth and reality. Example: Soothsayer. We Yankees spell SOOTHE with an 'e'. Not only have you two misspellings but you have used a word inappropriately. This really isn't helping your redneck argument.

Anyone know how to get a hold of Campbells colin? We should start a petition to get this guy fired.

During first intermission of the Pens vs. WAS game they said argumentation for the non-suspension might be that - attention: drummroll - Walker threw a first gloved punch at Ward that should have signalized Ward to better prepare for an upcomming fight.

I mean that's as rediculous as it is depressive isn't it ?!

I'm a huuge hockey fan but sometimes I understand posters like #188(Andrew Palmer). When you let guys like Walker walk away who simply punched an unprepared guy in the face - what kind of an example is that (to kids, fans, any human being on earth and completely regardless of rule books)? Come on ...

first post here ... long time reader and huuuge Bruins fan living in Europe

ain't over yet ... GO BRUINS !!!!!!!

It might seem to you crazy caniacs that people are telling you that you don't know what you are talking about because you're haven't had a hockey team for that long, but it is painfully obvious from your comments that you don't know what you're talking about.

All you Carolina Fans remeber one thing you all had to get your team from another city. before the Canes came in 97 you all had no idea the difference between a red line and a clothes line! You say the Bruins have cheap shotted the Canes, expamples???? I do not remember a bruins player dropping the gloves and puching a canes player with his gloves still on. Face it Canes fans you can not win this argument. If roles were reveresed you would be steamed if a Bruins player was not suspended. Also you say we can not be related to the tough guys who built the American Revolution, well where are your tough guys from history. We do not need to relate to a century old war, we relate to tough guys like Neely Wensink, Sanderson, Jonathan, O'Reilly, Byers, Miller, Lucic, Thornton. Can you name any tough guys from Hartford/Carolina...I dont think so, so just sit down and stop talking because you all are wasting the Oxygen that intelligant people need to breath!!!

I guess not seeing the Stanley cup for 35 plus years gets your panties really twisted especially with all the incredible hockey knowledge you guys are born with. You know living in the cold and all. When was the last time "little ol carolina" raised it high?? Look it up moron!!!

Let me get this straight:

You can skate out on the ice, let your co-worker engage with a guy, then come over and pop him in the face, and all it'll cost is the money you earned while throwing a punch, then sitting in the box?

Man, I wish I had a job like that.

Scrolling through this blog explains why 3 out of 5 families that live in my Raleigh cul de sac are from Medford, Cambridge and Chesnutt Hill. They were screaming to get away from you whiny blowhards who have to resort to "Nascar" and "trailer park" comments because a cheap shot artist from Ontario finally went too far. Believe me, we knew and appreciated his tendencies when he was in Raleigh . Please stay where you are in the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area and save me and my family from the inevitable 4 out of 5 families.

I'm with those who say lthe B's should stay focused and not get distracted and taken out of their play. Beat Walker by beating his team. The prize for me is the Stanley Cup not a bbloodied and beaten player. Though at some point I hope he gets his...

I gotta say, I despise the Canes as much as I do the Bruins but agree with them in this case....Bs had it coming. You dish it, you're gonna get it served back to you at some point. Cheap is cheap, whether it's Canes cheap or Bruins cheap. The piper came asking to be paid...so quit whining and eat it Bs fans. Besides, it was pretty hilarious to watch. Very drama queen-esque.

And spare us the ridiculousness about Boston being a "real hockey town". To people in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, etc., that's purely laughable. Reading that, fans in true hockey cities such as those must feel like a soccer fan in Manchester UK would feel upon hearing a New York Cosmos fan tell an LA Galaxy fan that NYC is a "real" soccer city. Sorry, but Bs and Canes fans are EQUALLY clueless when compared to fans in REAL hockey cities.

Guys, Paul Maurice coached the Leafs up here in Toronto for two years and and his comments, be they humourous or otherwise were typically described as "dry." Having said that, unless he has a medical degree and can diagnose the severity of blows or lack thereof from his vantage point, IF it were discovered that Ward suffered some form of injury, his flippant comments regarding "bruised knuckles" would have made him look like a complete fool. He'd either be implying that its okay for his players to conduct themselves as Walker did or the punch was not as bad as it seemed or as bad as Ward MADE it seem.

The translation of Jim Rutherford's expected response is "We dodged one today! To be sure, Walker's move was outrageous! He claims to have thought he was about to fight Ward and unless both guys agreed to "go" prior to the punch, somebody forgot to tell Ward that he, too, was about to be involved in an altercation. The league's inconsistent ruling should not come as a surprise at all because it seems the NHL suspends according to who you are as much as what you did. I admit to not knowing Walker's final penalty minutes but as of March 31, he had only 35 minutes. You can be sure if Milan Lucic or Jared Boll had done EXACTLY the same thing, they would be GONE! Let's hope our Bruins use this incident to fuel them to a win in Raleigh tomorrow night!

Ok guys, the facts are this... Walker deserved to get a suspension, but I knew last night as the game as still on, that it wouldnt happen, as long as Colon (intentional misspelling) Campbell is the guy making these calls.

Worse any real retaliation will just land the B's in trouble with the same office.

BUMBER sticker? Well what do you expect from a bunch of sun belt, NASCAR loving, inbred, HILLBILLIES?

I agree that the best revenge will be a win in games 6 and 7

This is great! Get this guy out on the ice for game 6. Lucic and Chara are waiting for him. Good luck with that...

How can it be a sucker punch? Face to face would be fighting. If he hit him from behind that would be a sucker punch. BTW - Ward played in Carolina remember? Its clear that Ward knew he was going to get hit. He was clearly trying to draw a penalty. BUT- I dont think he expected a direct hit like he got. You can even see he starts to turn his head as Walker swings. Should he be suspended? Maybe. But how mnay times do guys swing at each other in the NHL? Ward is a scrappy guy and he choose not to engage. But thats not the Ward we knew when he played for the Canes. He was always trying his best to get under players skin. PLEASE STOP CALLING IT A SUCKER PUNCH! GO CANES!

P.S. - The canes have already made a statement in this series. The bruins were suppose to clean the floor with all teams in the East. Boston fans please stop making excuses for your team. The Bruins let the Canes have there way for three straight games. Thats not the mark of a Stanley Cup Champion. They should come out with there hair on fire every night. If the Canes put them away it will be nobodys fault but the BOSTON BRUINS! Put up or shut up! OK? May the best team win!

REDNECK HOCKEY: what's offsides?

(seriously, they boo even when their team gets called for an intentional offside, or blatantly ices the puck)

You folks are awesome. You act like Aaron Ward is so innocent. Him and Chara take liberty's. Anytime, your boy Chara get's Staal on the ground, he punches him in the face. He had Ruutu on the ground in game four and punched him about four times, held him down and the ref''s did nothing. Regardless of what you think, Ward does the same thing. What happens when your good players get in a little tussell, here comes LUNATIC and Thornton. Hipocrits. Ward drug Cullen from the crease and threw him to the ground. He then did what he alway's does, coward. Probably didn't deserve a broken bone in his face, but.......................
As for Walker worried about Lunatic and Thornton, if you've watched around the league, Walker can hold his own. I have no doubt either him and LUNATIC or Thornton will embrace for a kiss and hug during tonight's game.
As for your condecending remarks about NASCAR and Rednecks, show's your mentality level.

Truth Hurts,
Your statement about Boston not being a hockey town holds no water. Sure we have 3 other championship caliber teams, so it's not all hockey all the time. It's not our fault the 3 cities you mentioned have a total of 5 professional franchises between them. Using your criteria, I guess TO isn't much of a hockey town either. Boston IS an original 6 franchise, and home to some great knowledgable fans, and when the C's and Sox were drawing flies, the Garden was always packed with fans watching the likes of Shore, Schmidt, Clapper, Bucyk, and Orr. What state produces the most NHL'ers? I don't know for sure, but I'll guarantee it's either Massachusetts or Michigan. I don't care about retaliation. I just want them to win tonight. 2 more points, if it was a Bruin doing the punching you'd all be screaming bloody murder, and the Canes were just frustrated because they had their butts whipped that game.

"OFFSIDES" Anything NORTH of the Mason Dixon Line.
Are you guy's as big a "HOCKEY TOWN" as you wish to be? I think not. In the ninety's, there was a HUGE rivalry between Colrado and Detroit. That rivalry developed as a result of a hit by Claude Lemuiex on Chris Draper. If you believe that Scott Walker is going to TURTLE like Claude Lemiuex did against Darren McCarty, BEWARE. Walks might have something for all of you.
After tonight, it will be decided. Canes win, YOU go home. Bruins win, I don't like our chances going back to BEANTOWN. Spoken like a TRUE Hockey Fan.
Please, if we win, Bring EXTRA Busses to bring all your REDNECK KIN back with you to BEANTOWN where they belong.
I am from the NORTH. Red Sox and Celts fan. Was a Whaler fan till they moved down here. Reason why I moved, just look at your responses. Shallow minds breed Shallow Thoughts. I got Walker taking LUNATIC. As for Thornton. Too Close to call.

"2" points in a playoff hockey game. Where did you get that one? Toooooooo Funny. Spoken like a "TRUE" hockey fan.

Two more points, as in I'm making two additional points...
Tooooo funny, indeed! You may want to back away slowly from the keyboard.

seobrien
Are you the same guy I saw in the gahden waiting for the 4th period to start??

Boston Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward wasn’t amused by the NHL’s decision to waive Scott Walker’s automatic suspension.
"It’s a convenient story that the NHL accepted, and I think if you in the media accept that then you’re all a bunch of sheep. That’s it. It’s a convenient excuse, and it just allows people to get off scot-free and not have to deal with it. It’s a joke, and we’ll just move on from there".
No doubt the NHL’s habitual disregard for it’s own rules is amusing, but it is what it is. The league has done the same thing in other situations this season.

Oh, and so much for that orbital bone fracture. Ward fully participated in practice this morning, without a face shield to boot. He’ll play tonight after much hand status in Boston.

4th period....hahaha, I get it! Touche`
It's obvious you really know your hockey. Good one, Boy did you put me down.
...It's funny because hockey only has 3 periods!! OMG, do you write your own material?
What is your analysis on tonight's game? Do you think The Canes regain control of the neutral zone? Can they respond to the physical style of play? The reason I ask is because all of your comments have been blather to this point. So I can only assume your views on tonight's game are "Bruins S%ck! Go Canes".

It was a cheap shot for sure, but we dont know what was said at all. If Ward was down and out I can understand a suspension. When you have a player jump in like that you must be ready for something like that. I am not saying it was ok, but you have to be ready.

No question Ward should have been more ready, but I agree with that it was worst than Brashear's penalty for which he received a 5 game penalty. It's because of inconsistencies like this, that some teams may feel they have to take retribution into their own hands. If I'm Walker, I'd be a little nervous the first time I meet the Bruins next season.