Dallas Stars F Antoine Roussel gets 2-game suspension
By Phil Watson
Antoine Roussel of the Dallas Stars will sit for the next two games after he was suspended for crosschecking Adam McQuaid of the Boston Bruins.
Less than four minutes into Tuesday’s game between the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins at TD Garden, Dallas forward Antoine Roussel was given the gate—a five-minute major and a game misconduct—after he crosschecked Boston defenseman Adam McQuaid in the throat.
On Thursday, the NHL Department of Player Safety ruled that wasn’t good enough, issuing Roussel a two-game suspension.
As the video explained: “Players often raise their sticks in a reflexive, defensive posture to ward off oncoming opponents. While this is not legal, it is usually adequately punished by a penalty on the ice.
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“In this case Roussel’s crosscheck can neither be classified as reflexive nor defensive. The players square off and face on another well in advance of Roussel’s stick striking McQuaid.”
The most puzzling part of the whole affair is the NHL apparently bought Roussel’s explanation that he wasn’t trying to his McQuaid in the neck.
He stopped, cocked and fired. When the stick was going toward McQuaid’s throat, did Roussel think it was magically going to change direction and strike somewhere else?
“He clearly raised his stick to a dangerous level and deployed it aggressively,” the league ruled.
Roussel is not a first-time offender, which contributed to the two-game suspension. Earlier this season, he was fined for a sucker punch on San Jose Sharks defenseman Justin Braun.
Roussel will forfeit $21,505.38 in salary during the suspension, which will include Friday’s home game against the Florida Panthers and Saturday’s road trip to face the Colorado Avalanche.
In 54 games this season, Roussel has 11 goals, 22 points and 112 minutes in penalties.
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