Ducks Defenceman Pronger Suspended One Game For Elbow
Posted June 3, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Anaheim Ducks are a facing a pivotal game against the last team standing between them and the Stanley Cup, and they’ll have to win it without arguably their best player.
Defenceman Chris Pronger was suspended for Game 4 of the Ducks best-of-seven Stanley Cup final against the Ottawa Senators, a series Anaheim leads 2-1. The time out was handed down after the Ducks’ 5-3 loss Saturday, in which Pronger elbowed Ottawa ‘s Dean McAmmond in the face. It’s the second suspension the big blue liner will face during these playoffs, the first coming during the Western Conference final against Detroit, making him just the third player ever to be suspended twice during a post-season. Still, Pronger has no plans of suddenly turning soft when he’s back for Game 5 in Anaheim .
“I don’t think I can, for me to be the type of player I can be,” he explained. “Obviously it’s a fine line and it’s getting finer and finer every year.
It’s been argued that since stands 6’6″ it can be difficult for him to cleanly hit opponents and he also appeared to be off balance when delivering the forearm. McAmmond, who’s 5’11”, left the game and didn’t return. It wasn’t clear if he’d be good to go for Game 4.
“When I look at it, there’s pluses and minuses to being 6’6″,” said league disciplinarian Colin Campbell.
The Ducks will accept such minuses even if they include the occasional suspension before the most important game of the year.
“The positives Chris Pronger brings to the table far outweigh any of the negatives,” said coach Randy Carlyle.
