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Giroux didn’t think he’d get suspended

Giroux

Claude Giroux was thinking the same thing a lot of people were thinking after Sunday’s game that saw the Flyers’ star forward receive a two-minute minor for hitting New Jersey’s Dainius Zubrus in the head.

“I didn’t think I was going to get suspended,” Giroux told reporters today, as per phillyBurbs.com.

Granted, Giroux recognizes the fact the NHL wants “to get the head hitting out of the game,” and he admits his visible frustration with the referees prior to the hit was “one of the reasons why I had to get suspended.”

On the other hand, “I’ve seen it (the replay). It’s hard to say what’s a suspension or not. Obviously I hit his head with my shoulder. I still don’t think I jumped, my elbow was down. It wasn’t my intention to hit his head.”

The key line is probably this one: “It’s hard to say what’s a suspension or not.”

That’s not necessarily a criticism of league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan. He’d probably agree with Giroux. With all the variables that have to be considered in each instance, it is hard to say. But somebody has to say it, and Shanahan’s the one.