THE McSORLEY INCIDENT

Branch sends anti-vigilante message with suspensions

The Ontario League is not the Old West. League commissioner Dave Branch said that’s the message he was sending when he suspended Peterborough Pete teammates Bob Crummer for 12 games and Adam Dewan for 10 on Feb. 22. Crummer was banned for running London Knights’ goalie Gene Chiarello seconds before the final buzzer Feb. 11 in London. Chiarello was slammed into the end boards, triggering a 4-on-4 brawl. Dewan was suspended for sucker punching Knight forward Dan Sullivan directly off a faceoff with 32 seconds left in London’s 6-2 win. Dewan is eligible to return March 10; Crummer on March 15. “There almost seemed to be a mentality of frontier justicehere,” Branch said. “Both players felt there had been certain liberties taken earlier in the game that caused them to reply.” The Petes were upset that…

Canucks satisfied with league ruling, want hockey ‘back in good graces

Furious when the incident first happened, Vancouver Canuck players were more subdued after several days of reflection on the infamous Marty McSorley stick swing to the head of Donald Brashear Captain Mark Messier emphasized that the sport needed to move beyond the ugly incident. “The game of hockey is the most important thing and, at this time, the most important thing we can do is really support each other and try to get the game of hockey back in the good graces,” Messier said after the McSorley suspension was announced. “The people who are in charge of disciplinary actions have obviously talked about it and have come down with their decision and we need to support the league and be unified. Now is not the time to be second-guessing anybody.” Goalie Garth Snow, who…

Repeat Offender

Marty McSorley has been suspended by the NHL seven times during his 17-year career. Two were automatic suspensions for repeated stick offenses. He was also suspended once in the American League. Here is McSorley’s disciplinary record, with his team at the time in parentheses. 2000 23 games, plus playoffs, for slashing Vancouver’s Donald Brashear on the head Feb. 21 (Boston) 1994 4 games for eye-gouging San Jose’s Bob Errey Feb.23 (Los Angeles) 1993 2 games (automatic) for spearing Edmonton’s Scott Mellanby Feb. 9 (Los Angeles) 1992 1 game (automatic) for spearing Edmonton's Martin Gelinas Nov. 23 (Los Angeles) 1992 6 days without pay for cross-checking Boston’s Darren Banks Oct. 31 (Los Angeles) 1991 3 games for punching Winnipeg's Doug Evans March 11 (Los Angeles) 1988 3 games for spearing Calgary's Mike Bullard in playoff game April 29…