No Suspension for Richards; Booth Leaves Hospital

Sunday, October 25, 2009

By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com

Unlike some players in the National Hockey League who have a long list of suspensions, Mike Richards has a squeaky-clean slate.

And it’s going to stay that way, as the NHL cleared the Flyers’ captain of any wrongdoing following his hit on Florida’s David Booth in Saturday’s 5-1 win over the Panthers. Richards drew a five-minute major and game misconduct.

He was in uniform for Sunday night’s game against San Jose.
 
The question is: will this linger in the minds of league officials, who have been more than eager to serve up suspensions to Flyers players over the years for questionable hits.

“I don’t know,” Richards said. “The league ruled it was a clean hit. Obviously, the end result, you don’t hope for anything. Nothing comes from it. It’s a clean hit.”

Richards talked to Florida coach Peter DeBoer on Saturday to express his regrets that Booth was injured.

“I heard he was released from the hospital today, which is encouraging,” Richards said. “I wish him the best and a speedy recovery.”

General manager Paul Holmgren was informed in the morning that Richards had been cleared, although no call went out to Richards himself.

 “Like I said last night, it’s unfortunate a young player gets hurt like that,” Holmgren said. “But it happens sometimes.”

Richards threw a shoulder check that caught Booth on the chin with 2:55 remaining in the second period. Booth was released from Pennsylvania Hospital on Sunday with a concussion. He didn’t see the hit coming.

The only possible comparison of a hit on Wachovia Center is Eric Lindros’ infamous collision with New Jersey’s Scott Stevens in Game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals. Lindros had his head down. Booth was looking the other direction.

That hit effectively ended Lindros’ career as a Flyer, as he never suited up for them again.

Flyers coach John Stevens was asked whether he thought this incident would blemish Richards’ record with the league.

“They ruled it was a hockey play and there were some other incidents that have happened that were more along the [lines of a suspension] and this was an entirely different situation as Mike was back-checking through the middle of the ice,” Stevens said.

“The league, it looks like, unanimously viewed it as a hockey play. Such a quick play, bang-bang. We don’t certainly feel that way and we hope that it’s not [something] that hangs on his record for the future.”

Loose pucks
The Flyers called up defenseman Oskars Bartulis from the Phantoms because at least one of their defensemen, Stevens said, was questionable against San Jose. Bartulis was not expected to play against the Sharks. … Ray Emery had the night off. Brian Boucher was to start against the Sharks.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net