Penguins winger Matt Cooke suspended 2 games

6:02pm - Sunday, November 29th, 2009 by DePaoli

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Matt Cooke has been suspended two games for a hit to the head of Rangers forward Artem Anisimov in Saturday nights game. Cooke was awarded a two minute minor.

Cooke learned of his fate this afternoon when he had a conference call with the NHL before the Penguins departed for New York.

Cooke, also suspended for two games in January, is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Because of that, he forfeited $29,268 in salary based on the number of games (82) in a season, rather than the number of days (193). The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Comments

OU812

If cooke gets 2 games, Richards hit on Booth should have gotten 5 games at least! WTF?

11/29/2009 6:52pm

Sports70

the NHL is such a joke with their "enforcement" of rules...just like Goodel in football, and steroids in baseball, nobody has the backbone to distribute punishment fairly and evenly

11/29/2009 6:53pm

jaluco

He deserved it - dirty late hit - oh well. Looks like more Chris Bourque.

11/29/2009 6:54pm

zerocool6687

No surprise here... he did leave his feet.

11/29/2009 6:55pm

zerocool6687

As for the Richards hit... dirty by opinion yes however as the rule book is currently written he did nothing wrong.

11/29/2009 6:56pm

Genomalkin

I dont think anyone has a problem with Cooke getting a suspension...its the fact that other players like Richards do not get suspended for much worse hits.

11/29/2009 6:56pm

Monrovian12

I only watched the hit twice, it looked bad, dirty? I don't know. Being that he is Matt Cooke I figured a suspension or fine would follow...I'm not surprised, but the NHL does a terrible job at doling out suspensions and fines.

11/29/2009 6:59pm

zerocool6687

The one I am baffled about is Kaleta, not saying he doesn't earn his time off however OV clearly tried to hurt him the other nigh and then on TV stated he seen nothing wrong with the hit... this man will have to kill someone before Campbell actually does something.

11/29/2009 7:02pm

OU812

at least it will lower the pens' cap a smidge...

11/29/2009 7:05pm

zombie-x

In the real world, you can go to jail for "attempted" murder. Why don't they suspend someone based on their "attempt" to injure? If Cooke got two games, then Avery should get 4-5. Right?

11/29/2009 7:24pm

jeffed

After seeing hte Richards hit, I don't see how this is really all that much different. Cooke gets two games, Richards gets nothing. You can try to explain the hits over and over again but they look the same.

11/29/2009 7:33pm

cpykosh

And how does Ovechkin get a game misconduct not a 2 minute minor and not get a suspension.....ridiculous

11/29/2009 7:34pm

Juice731

wow that piece of shit richards gets nothing.. how bout dumb ass brashear punching a linesman ??

11/29/2009 7:34pm

Steelers=Champs

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Shaun Donovan hit. The NHL took a lot of heat for not suspending Cooke a game for that one and it was just a matter of time before they nabbed him.

11/29/2009 7:35pm

jeffed

The NHL continues to confound with their rulings on situations like this. They make no sense and have no consistency whatsoever.

11/29/2009 7:35pm

GO_PENS

There is def something wrong with how the league is not coming down harder on the star players. Richards and AO deserved to be suspended. Kaleta's hit wasn't that bad and neither was Cooke but I have no problem with them being suspended. I just wish the league wouldnt allow the stars to get away with it

11/29/2009 7:38pm

jeffed

I wouldn't have one problem with Cooke being suspended if the league was somewhat consistent with their rulings. Even remotely consistent would be a nice change of pace. Richards has done that shit forever, same with OV but they are higher profile players (at least Cooke is) and they get treated like nothing happened.

11/29/2009 7:42pm

Samtheman

if ovi crosby do this they dont get that only normal players get suspended its a joke the league even if its for the market i think people should be treated all same

11/29/2009 8:03pm

wolfman

maybe cooke should have bit him too!

11/29/2009 8:36pm

ironman6668

This is awful, maybe it was a bad hit but it is normal hit ovechkin and richards, the nhl has such a double standard.

11/29/2009 10:52pm

SV84

Hypocrisy at its finest. I can accept a one game suspension or so of Cooke, it is letting Richards get away with a hit that was worse and has kept Booth out since while the guy Cooke hit was back in.

11/29/2009 11:03pm

mwiles19

Double standards are at an all-time high in the NHL

11/30/2009 12:05am

grocis

Cooke's reputation got him this suspension. Sick and tires of the NHL's double standard

11/30/2009 1:32am

He left his feet and its not the first time, hes one of the dirtiest players in the game this is gonig to happen. And unlike richards he broke the rules with a hit

11/30/2009 8:59am

dow5020

if Crosby or Malkin had the same hit, they wouldn't be suspended either...it isn't fair but thats the way it is

11/30/2009 10:00am

mwiles19

It was the exact same hit as the Richards hit. Both were dirty and suspendable, but unlike the Richards hit, the man he hit is still playing.

11/30/2009 10:13am

↑ previous comments ↑

psupens

I think the NHL should have automatic suspensions for any game misconducts.

11/30/2009 11:01am

CBauerjr

psupens: Why? Maybe the offense merits being thrown out of this game.

11/30/2009 11:13am

CBauerjr

If you watched the Richards hit I can't see how you could not same they are the same hit. Richards didnt break the rules? Did Cooke deserve this, yeah although the player did get back in the game It was intent. Let's throw gasoline on this: Avery's attempt at Crosby or Avery assult of Fedatanko ....I have no problem with fighting in hockey but a punch from behind followed by a continued assult pressing your adavantage ...Come on Colin get you head out of your helmet and lets be fair or does Disco Dan have to whine like the NY pretty boy coach.

11/30/2009 11:19am

ironman6668

The last time I saw someone hit someone from behind like Avery did to Feds was when Bertuzzi hit Moore and ended his career, Avery is a gutless bum who is all talk, he should have been suspended for attempting to injure.

11/30/2009 2:50pm

zerocool6687

Cooke clearly leaves his feet and that is why this is different from the Richards hit. In a perfect world Richards would have been nabbed cuz of the fact that he was trying to smash Booth yet he never left his feet... that is considered a charge and is flat out against the rules.

11/30/2009 4:57pm