Unsatisfied with the officiating during the Flyers-Bruins series? So, evidently, was Dan Carcillo.
The National Hockey League has announced that it will suspend Carcillo two games following an incident during the fourth and final game of the Philadelphia Flyers semi-final series with the Boston Bruins. Per the NHL:
"Between the first and second period, while off ice and outside the officials' locker room, Mr. Carcillo engaged in aggressive behavior and inappropriate conduct directed at the officials," said Murphy. "While Mr. Carcillo acknowledged in the hearing that he regrets his actions outside of the officials' room, there can be no defense for his conduct."
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Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy, the man ultimately responsible for the decision to suspend, also reviewed an incident involving Carcillo and linesman Brian Murphy prior to the start of the second period, and obviously right after the confrontation detailed above. Though Murphy believes Carcillo to have been equally in the wrong in this second scenario, he concludes, "While the verbal abuse may have been worthy of a penalty, there is no evidence that Carcillo's action merits supplemental discipline."
A restricted free agent, Carcillo will be consequently unavailable for the first two games of next season, regardless of his employing club. The suspension is without pay, and the forfeited cash will be on its way to Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. Say what you will about Dan Carcillo, but the man cares about charity, and his actions during game four clearly speak to his passion for donation.
Those of you out there who have had the pleasure of reviewing Keith Jones' autobiography Jonsey—Put Your Head Down and Skate may remember a story in which Flyers' chairman Ed Snider encouraged Jones to criticize officials after a playoff loss, insisting that he would pay whatever amount Jones' was eventually fined. Unfortunately, should the team decide to re-up with Carcillo this summer, the league office won't be allowing Snider as a substitute in the healthy scratch column.