Gillies Slapped with NHL ban
Trevor Gillies earned a nine-game suspension for an elbow to Eric Tangradi's head during a third-period melee, and Matt Martin was slapped with a four-game ban for ambushing Pittsburgh's Max Talbot from behind in the neutral zone to ignite the first scrum in the second period.
Gillies continued punching Tangradi after drilling him with his elbow, and then he appeared to taunt the Pens rookie as Tangradi, whom the Pens claim suffered a concussion, lay prone on the ice. Martin also was suspended two games in December for charging Phoenix forward Vernon Fiddler.
"The actions by Gillies and Martin were deliberate attempts to injure by delivering blows to the head of players who were unsuspecting and unable to defend themselves," said NHL VP Colin Campbell. "The message should be clear to all players: targeting the head of an opponent by whatever means will be dealt with by suspension."
The Islanders also were fined $100,000 because they "must bear some responsibility for their failure to control their players," Campbell added.
Martin, Gillies and Zenon Konopka - but not Bridgeport brawler Micheal Haley - took part in face-to-face hearings with Campbell and his Toronto-based crew after the Isles arrived in Buffalo late in the afternoon. GM Garth Snow also made the trip and sat in on the hearings, along with interim coach Jack Capuano.
A source confirmed that Haley wasn't required to meet personally with league officials. The Isles believed that three fighting majors, an instigator penalty and a double-game misconduct might be counted as "time-served" discipline against the instant Coliseum cult hero.
Haley, who netted his first NHL goal during the rout, had been up earlier Friday from AHL Bridgeport, where he is the team leader this season in both goals and penalty minutes. During the fracas ignited by Gillies, Haley fought both Talbot and goalie Brent Johnson at different ends of the ice.
Pittsburgh's Eric Godard also received an automatic 10-game suspension for leaving the Pens' bench when Haley skated the length of the ice to fight Johnson.
Pittsburgh's backup goalie gave up seven of the Isles' nine goals nine days after knocking out Rick DiPietro with one punch in the previous meeting between the two teams. In the Feb. 2 game, Talbot had incensed the Islanders over a blind-side hit on Blake Comeau, who remains out indefinitely with a concussion.
Konopka, who received only a roughing penalty and a 10-minute misconduct late in the game, joined Martin and Gillies at the hearings. The NHL reportedly reviewed tape to determine whether Konopka left the Isles' bench on a legal line change to start an altercation.
There were 346 combined penalty minutes assessed in the game - including 183 for the Islanders - with both figures setting franchise records.
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