No Suspension For Hossa

The NHL announced Sunday it will not suspend Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa for his hit/shove on Nashville Predators defenseman Dan Hamhuis during Saturday's Game 5 in their Western Conference series.

NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell conducted a hearing by telephone with Hossa earlier Sunday afternoon.

Campbell made the following statement after the meeting:

"I have made the decision that this play does not warrant supplemental discipline after considering all of the facts, including reviewing the video and speaking with Mr. Hossa," said Campbell. "This play is distinguishable from recent incidents by a number of factors, including the degree of contact involved; the fact that the consequences of the play do not appear to be as severe; that this was a hockey play involving a race for the puck; that Mr. Hossa is not a repeat offender; and that the call of a major penalty by the referee was significant and appropriate."

A five-minute major penalty for boarding was called on Hossa at the 18:57 mark of the third period. While Hossa was serving the penalty, teammate Patrick Kane scored a shorthanded goal with 13 seconds left in the game -- the first time in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs that a shorthanded goal was scored to tie up a game in the last minute of regulation.

Here's the Hossa play that got him the five-minute major...
((HT: NHL on NBC/TSN))


Hossa served the final 3:57 of his boarding major as the Predators and Blackhawks went into overtime. Ten seconds after exiting the penalty box, Hossa scored the game-winning goal to make it a 5-4 victory for the Blackhawks.

Here's the game-winner...
((HT: NHL on NBC/TSN))


And here's the evidence that everyone was pointing to for a suspension of, at least, one game for Hossa... the Ovechkin hit on Hawks' D-man Brian Campbell March 14th that forced him to stay out of a boatload of games down the stretch...
((HT: NHL on NBC))