Bad Medicine for AO

photo credit: AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh

Alex Ovechkin didn’t have to hit Brian Campbell Sunday afternoon in Chicago. The puck was gone and Campbell was in a vulnerable position. But as unnecessary as the check was, it did not warrant the two-game suspension the NHL handed the Capitals captain yesterday.

The League deemed the play “reckless”. Didn’t know the rulebook accounted for recklessness. Some might say flying around rock-hard ice on razor-sharp skates while wielding a stick is reckless by definition.

Just a week ago, disciplinarian Colin Campbell chose not to twist the rulebook in order to punish Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke for his indisputable cheapshot on Boston’s Marc Savard two Sundays ago. Now he’s punishing Ovechkin, not for boarding or charging or checking-from-behind, but through a subjective decision about what’s right and wrong on the ice.

“We have no problem with the way Alex tried to finish his check,” said Washington GM George McPhee in a statement. “Unfortunately, an injury occurred. We are disappointed in the suspension.”

Yes, Campbell was hurt on the play – he is reportedly done for the regular season because of the broken ribs and collarbone he suffered on the play. But Colin Campbell cannot factor injury into his punishments in any significant way. Ovechkin or any other offender cannot control how an opponent reacts to a hit. Nor can he control how the opponent’s body handles the contact with the boards, ice, etc.

An illegal hit is an illegal hit, whether the victim gets up unscathed or leaves on a stretcher. And Ovechkin’s was not an illegal hit.

He will sit out tonight at the Panthers and Thursday at Carolina. As a repeat offender, Ovechkin forfeits salary based on the number of games in the season (82), not the days (193), so this will cost him $232,645.40.

DEVILS 3 – BRUINS 2

Rob Niedermayer, David Clarkson and Zach Parise scored in the first period to kickstart another home win for New Jersey. It is their third straight, and brings the Devils within two points of Pittsburgh for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Penguins visit the Prudential Center Wednesday night. Martin Brodeur made 34 saves against the Bruins, while Tim Thomas was pulled after the opening period.

RED WINGS 2 – FLAMES 1

Tomas Holmstrom’s latest goalmouth tally provided Detroit with some breathing room at the bottom of the Western Conference playoff picture. The veteran forward redirected a Johan Franzen shot past Miika Kiprusoff for the winning margin in Calgary. The Red Wings now lead the Flames by three points for the 8th-and-final postseason spot.

BLUE JACKETS 5 – OILERS 3

Kristin Huselius (1G, 3A) and Antoine Vermette (1G, 2A) combined for seven points to hand Edmonton its latest road loss. The Oilers are just 1-14-1 since mid-December as the visitors.

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There is plenty of injury news from Monday. Dallas Stars center Mike Modano is now without his appendix. GM Joe Nieuwendyk expects the 39-year-old to miss about two weeks.

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Getzlaf & Teemu Selanne in Anaheim are all considered day-to-day. Malkin took a Kris Letang slapshot off a leg Sunday -- x-rays showed no break. Getzlaf is dealing with a swollen left ankle, while Selanne has a slight strain to his left shoulder. Both Ducks are considered questionable for Wednesday against Chicago.

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TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE (all times are Eastern)

Bruins @ Hurricanes 7:00

Sabres @ Thrashers 7:00

Canadiens @ Rangers 7:30 (VERSUS)

Maple Leafs @ Senators 7:30

Coyotes @ Lightning 7:30

Capitals @ Panthers 7:30

Avalanche @ Blues 8:00

Flyers @ Predators 8:00

Oilers @ Wild 8:00

Sharks @ Stars 8:30

Islanders @ Canucks 10:00

- Andrew Bogusch, boguschhockey@gmail.com