Archive for April, 2010

The NHL suspended Thrashers forward Colby Armstrong for two games on Friday, one day after he delivered a hit to the head of the Capitals’ Mathieu Perreault. The league ruled that Armstrong used his elbow to deliver the hit.

Armstrong will miss Saturday’s game in Pittsburgh, where he spent two and a half seasons before being traded to the Thrashers, and Tuesday’s game against New Jersey. The suspension comes with four games remaining in the regular season and the Thrashers two points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed,” Armstrong told the AJC. “I feel terrible about it. The timing of it because of our position as a team and also personally for myself. It’s one thing that my dad always told me when I learned out to hit, you never reach for a guy like that. I just got caught where he was dodging out of the way and I reached for him and I made a mistake. The good thing is there was no injury on the play.”

“I reached across with …

Continue reading Armstrong suspended two games »

UPDATE: NHL suspends Colby Armstrong for two games for hit on Capitals’ Mathieu Perreault. Evander Kane will take his place in the lineup. MORE TO COME.

Original blog:

One play that got lost in the Thrashers’ 2-1 defeat to the Capitals on Thursday night could mean a suspension for Colby Armstrong under the NHL’s new hit to the head rule.

In the second period, Armstrong collided with the Capitals’ Mathieu Perreault. Armstrong’s hand appeared to come in high and hit Perreault in the head.

“I just banged a forecheck on him,” Armstrong said after the game. “I had a pretty good line on him. He’s a pretty good little shifty player and I think he kind of bailed out there at the end. I saw the replay. If anything I just tried to get a piece of him. I didn’t mean to get my arms up in his kitchen like that. It just happened so fast. I just tried to get a piece of him. I talked to the ref afterward and he said he ducked out of the way and fell backward.”

Armstrong was …

Continue reading Update: Armstrong suspended for two games »

Pavel Kubina, who left Tuesday’s game against the Maple Leafs early after playing just 12 minutes, won’t be in the lineup tonight at Washington. Kubina took part in the team’s morning skate, but won’t play. He appeared to be skating gingerly when he stayed on the ice after others left. Coach John Anderson would not disclose the nature of the injury, but I’m told it’s an “upper-body” injury.

“He’s still a little stiff right now. We can’t have him playing only half a game. He could start tonight but if he comes out half way through, that’s not going to help us either. An extra day of rest will help him.”

This will be only the second game Kubina has missed this season.

With Kubina out, Chris Chelios will play his fifth game with the Thrashers.

Anderson said that Evander Kane will likely return to the lineup Saturday in Pittsburgh.

Ondrej Pavelec gets the start in goal, after getting the win in Toronto on Tuesday.

“The last couple starts have been real quality starts for us,” …

Continue reading Kubina out vs. Capitals, Chelios in »