Marchand Suspended 5 Games

Bruins Forward Brad Marchand was just suspended 5 games for his hit on Vancouver's Sami Salo

Are you shitting me?

Brad Marchand was literally just suspended for five games for what league disciplinarian Brendan Shannahan calls a "low and predatory hit" that was "neither instinctive nor defensive". What the hell was he watching? If you read the previous post, you'll notice that I very clearly point out where and when Salo prepares himself to make contact with Marchand's head. I don't know about "Shanny", but if I saw some asshole coming at me like that I would duck on him exactly like Marchand did.

It's funny how this was done the exact same way in a much more clear and obvious predatory manner by Dan Hamhuis last June in the Stanley Cup Finals to Lucic and the league ruled the exact same hit clean and legal. But when the short guy who's an expert at being a pain in the ass does it it's worthy of 5 games?

The league discipline office still sucks even without Colin Campbell. Shannahan has done an extremely poor job when it comes to consistency. Players continue to run around and deliver head shots (ahem, Raffi Torres) and get away with it for two games before being given a light suspension (Torres got two games for three hits to the head. Seriously?) I bet Salo will come out in 2 games, perhaps even 1, and say he doesn't even have a concussion. How's that going to look Shanny?

I still don't understand the ruling, it really makes no sense. 5 games for ducking a hit on a guy who's very clearly trying to rattle his brain? How about the 7 on 1? That's 6 third man in penalties that were not called. And how about Burrows' spear to Thornton's throat? Is that not considered a dangerous play? How about Dale Weise instigating Thornton into fighting and then backing out (not a suspendable offense, but still something to say wtf about)? How about Alain Vigneault's very clear verbal threat to Marchand? I didn't realize you were allowed to threaten players as a coach. If that's allowed someone hire me as a Bruins assistant coach so I can threaten all the Canucks players not named Ryan Kesler or Cory Schneider, Matt Cooke, Raffi Torres, Sean Avery, and any other player that I hate. Are none of those things to review? How about the clear official bias towards Vancouver? How the hell does Vancouver get to fight 7 on 1 and then go on a 5 on 3 powerplay?

And am I the only one who recognizes that there was no clear injury on the play? 'Cause Salo sure as hell didn't look concussed when he squirmed around on his knees and threw his stick around like a baby. He didn't look concussed when he skated as fast as he could to the bench under his own power either. I've had concussions before, and when you get your brain scrambled, you're too out of it and too dizzy to even move. You don't throw things around and then skate all on your own to the bench. This is eerily similiar to Ryan Miller's "concussion" earlier in the year.

Anyways, I guess Marchand will just have to sit and stare at his cup ring for 5 games. All while telling Vancouver to suck it.