1. Trying to separate an opponent's head from their body = 1 game
2. Trying it again = 1 game
3. Biting an opponent = 2 games
4. Breaking an opponent's hand, nose, and giving him a concussion = 3 games
5. Barely touching a referee and doing no worse than what happens any time a fight is broken up = 3 games

courtesy the brilliant Scarlett Ice

So let's hope that Grabovski throws an elbow to the younger Kostitsyn's head on February 7th rather than try to fight him like a man so he won't pick up a 10 game suspension.

Update

Here's a little mystery: Who on the Habs picked up the abuse of officials penalty?

 
From the NHL Rulebook:

40.3 Bench Minor Penalty

- A bench minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed under this rule for the following infractions:

(i) Any Coach or non-playing person who bangs the boards with a stick or other object at any time, showing disrespect for an official’s decision. If this is done in order to get the attention of the on-ice officials for a legitimate reason (i.e. serious injury, illness, etc.), then discretion must be exercised by the Referees.

(ii) Any unidentifiable player or goalkeeper, or any Coach or nonplaying person who uses obscene, profane or abusive language or gesture directed at an on or off-ice official or uses the name of any official coupled with any vociferous remarks. (see also 40.5 (ii)

(iii) Any player, goalkeeper, Coach, or non-playing person interferes in any manner with any game official including the Referees, Linesmen, Game or Penalty Timekeepers or Goal Judges in the performance of their duties.

So that explains why the Habs faced no further discipline. As for Grabovski, he did the following so it was an automatic suspension:

41.4 Automatic Suspension – Category III

- Any player or goalkeeper who, by his actions, physically demeans an official or physically threatens an official by (but not limited to) throwing a stick or any other piece of equipment or object at or in the general direction of an official, shooting the puck at or in the general direction of an official, spitting at or in the general direction of an official, or who deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall be suspended for not less than three (3) games.

The emphasis is mine because having seen that play out during countless fights I wonder why this penalty isn't invoked more often when players use much more force to try to extricate themselves from the evil clutches of linesmen?

As for why the Leafs' didn't appeal? Well, it's for the same reason you didn't ask your professor to re-grade a paper to rectify an unfair mark: it could get worse. The League reserves the right to increase any suspension so better to keep your mouth shut, take your medicine, and roam the Rue St. Catherine looking for revenge.

Oh how I hate the Habs. Let me count the ways Updated because I forgot some ways:

1. There's Komisarek and the way he loves to hide behind the ref's skirts. To be fair, when he doesn't this happens.
2. I know people hate talking about 'The Code' and the Don Sanderson tragedy certainly makes you questions parts of it buuuuuttt...if you are the kind of player that punches Darcy Tucker in the face when the linesman has his arms pinned or you try to fight a skill guy like Nik Hagman then when you actually decided to be a man take your visored helmet off you little cube of shit. As an aside, when May was switching from southpaw to righty and back again do you think Francois realized that he had bitten off way more than he could chew? Oh, and that take down move you tried? Get ready for the rematch you little bitch.
3. The Kostitsyn sisters. Hooray! You have a grudge against a countryman because he has better hockey hair and his family probably was part of the party leadership back home and made your peasant family's life miserable in Minsk. Good for you. How about you fight next time. And no hair pulling because while Grabbo looks like the kind of guy that would fight like this you two look like hair pullers.
4. Guillaume Latendresse. First, he gets so hyped up because he's French and the Quebecois need a French superstar to assuage all of their other shortcomings. Then, it turns out that despite being huge he is actually puny in heart and guts to the extent that even Habs fans started calling him Guimauve (marshmallow). That is actually kind of awesome on their part. And of course, he let all of that go to his head just like Ribeiro. I can't wait to see him run out of town.
5. Oh, and now they have Maxim Lapierre! As if they needed another dirty little midget that doesn't back up his antics by fighting. Let's call him French Jaarko.
6. The fake 100 years celebrations although it was nice to see Wendel, Salming, Sittler, Bower, and Potvin again.
7. They have our 1993 Stanley Cup. Feel free to give it back.

I have to agree with DGB though. This rivalry is taking over the Battle of Ontario and I like it. More history, more rage, more contrast. The only downside is that it's more French but the bright side is that when the going gets tough, they'll surrender.

And here are some links:

• Mike Ulmer looks into his crystal ball and TSM reacts.
• Didn't the Leafs trade something important for this guy?
• RepressedOptimism is starting a Paul Hendrick Fan Club. No, wait, I read that wrong. He wants to throw him into an industrial fan.
• John Mitchell has a favourite word.
• Hartsburg is losing the plot.
• Grabovski is freaking awesome. I want one of the Kostitsyn sister's to finally man up and fight the guy because I have a feeling that he will kill them and then send orders to have their families executed in Belarus.
• Alec shows the pros how it is done and figures out the whole Kaberle/Kubina NTC window of opportunity rigamarole.
• Andrew Raycroft made 43 saves to go to 8-1 on the year. Thank God we got rid of him or the Leafs might actually win some games this year. On a side note, since this is the only player that Eyebeleaf hates I can only assume that Razor's laid back attitude was just too much for Eyebeleaf's girlfriend. That or he's crazy.
• If Grabovski gets suspended then Campbell is a bigger dumbass than I thought. So let's say 2 games?
• I am with DGB. I love the Brad May Era. Hate the player, love the game. Right?
• Jared just wants some answers from Vesa.

The timing of May's arrival seems to align perfectly with the Leafs' first visit to Montreal. The team owes a little something to public enemy number one:

That vicious attack cost the Leafs the services of their best defenceman for over a month and the fallout of his hit meant that an innocuous hit by Milan Lucic has knocked Van Ryn out of the lineup again with concussion problems. I am not saying that I want to see Kostopoulos injured but if May does nothing else tonight he better be fighting the piece of περιττώματα Greek.

Previous Meetings

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What does it look like when a team only starts playing in the third period? A lot like tonight's game. The Leafs gave up the first 11 shots and the valium didn't wear off until the second intermission.

Also, The Whale is dead!

Post your instant reactions here. Try not to throw anything through your computer monitors.

They just had Paul Morris announce the last minute of play in the second period. I loved his announcing. I'll never forget that voice. Andy Frost is ok but he's not Paul Morris. Oh yeah, this game stinks.

The crowd booed a lot at the end of the period...at the listless Leafs.

10-0 Panthers over the past 80 minutes of hockey in Toronto. There are 40 left tonight. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Someone doesn't like the boos.

Everyone's favourite former Maple Leaf is back in town (no, not the Av fans' favourite). Let's look at the video!

Ah, the memories. Seriously though, hands down the second greatest tribute video. We all know what number one is.

REMEMBER YOUR SPG PICKS

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