Kariya Out Indefinitely
A day after suffering a mild concussion, Anaheim Mighty Duck winger Paul Kariya could not practice and would not comment about the cross-check to the jaw from Chicago Blackhawk defenseman Gary Suter.
The videotape of the incident reached the New York offices of the NHL by Monday afternoon, but there was no decision on whether Suter would be suspended or fined. The Ducks are hopeful they’ll get a response today from Brian Burke, NHL director of hockey operations. Suter was not penalized by referee Dan Marouelli for the hit.
“Paul wants to keep it to himself,” Duck coach Pierre Page said. “He knows people are waiting to see how he reacts.”
Page said Kariya was initially upset with Suter, who belted him after he scored his second goal of the game 3:19 into the second period of the Ducks’ 4-3 overtime victory. Kariya grew angrier still when he viewed a tape of the play.
Kariya’s status for Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers is questionable. There also are questions about his Olympic participation for Team Canada next week in Nagano, Japan.
“He’s not allowed to practice or play until he feels better,” Page said. “(Trainer) Greg Smith is concerned whether it will affect Paul for the Olympics.”
Page said he does not advocate on-ice paybacks but indicated he is fed up with the brutal tactics employed by the Blackhawks against Kariya and Selanne this season.
“You don’t really know what their game plan was, but you get a pretty good idea from past games,” Page said of the Blackhawks.
He also indicated he would be happy to see general manager Jack Ferreira trade for an enforcer to better protect Kariya and Selanne from further abuse. Ferreira has been trying to complete a deal with the Vancouver Canucks that would bring Gino Odjick to Anaheim.
Trade embargo on for Olympics
The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association agreed to ban trades during the Winter Olympics, the union said.
Under the agreement, trades will be banned from Friday through Feb. 24, said Rick Winston, union spokesman.
About 120 NHL players will head to Nagano next week to represent their countries, the first time NHL players will compete in the games.
The league and union decided on the Olympic trade ban because neither wanted to upstage the Olympics, many team offices will be closed and vacationing players will be hard to reach.
On the ice
Donald Audette had two goals and an assist as the visiting Buffalo Sabres beat Tampa Bay 7-3, extending the Lightning’s franchise-record losing streak to 13.
At Toronto, Mike Modano scored a goal and added three assists to lead the Dallas Stars past the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1.
At Kanata, Ontario, Martin Brodeur stopped 21 shots for his fifth shutout of the season and the 27th of his career as the New Jersey Devils got a goal from Petr Sykora and handed the Ottawa Senators their eighth shutout, 1-0.