Game 4. No Chris Pronger. The difference this time is that the Ducks are ahead in the series, two games to one, instead of trailing by the same margin.
Pretty much on cue, the NHL on Sunday suspended Pronger for Monday night’s fourth game of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Ottawa Senators, handing out the punishment for Pronger’s forearm to the head of Ottawa center Dean McAmmond in Saturday night’s 5-3 Senators victory. The NHL did it up big, rigging up a conference call with senior executive vice president Colin Campbell, who answered about 10 minutes worth of questions from reporters assembled at Scotiabank Place. The league then paraded Ducks coach Randy Carlyle, general manager Brian Burke and Pronger in to face the media throng. None quarreled with the league’s decision, but Burke made it clear that the Ducks felt Ottawa winger Chris Neil deserved similar consequences for a “reprehensible” hit to the head of Ducks center Andy McDonald. The difference was that McDonald saw the hit coming, avoided a good deal of the impact and was not hurt. McAmmond suffered a concussion and is doubtful for Monday’s game. The league evidently places huge weight on result, rather than intent. Watching the two plays, it is clear that Neil possessed far more intent than did Pronger, who appeared to react almost instantly. No matter. The Ducks have played, and won, without Pronger before. Fortunately for them, even if the Senators prevail again on Monday, the series will only be tied, with two of the potential three remaining games set for Honda Center.
DAN WOOD, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
