Islanders Penguins: Mario Lemieux Calls Brawl a 'Travesty' for Hockey

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Islanders Penguins Clash on Friday Draws Criticism of League from Mario Lemieux.

Following a game between the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins Friday that saw 15 major fights and 346 penalty minutes, Penguins owner and hockey great Mario Lemieux criticized the league Sunday for "failed" disciplinary measures following the game.

Two Islanders were suspended after the game. Trevor Gillies was suspended nine games for elbowing the Penguins' Eric Tangradi in the head and repeatedly punching him while he was down and Matt Martin was suspended four games while continually punching Max Talbot from behind.

The Islanders were also fined $100,000 in the aftermath.

Lemieux apparently didn't find the punishment to be nearly severe enough, calling the brawl a "travesty" for the game.

Lemieux knows full well that the physicality of the game is what distinguishes hockey, but he felt Friday's game went too far.

Via the New York Times:

“Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be,” Lemieux said in a statement. “But what happened Friday night on Long Island wasn’t hockey. It was a travesty. It was painful to watch the game I love turn into a sideshow like that."

Lemieux does have a point. Toughness and the physical nature of the NHL should never be taken away entirely, but Friday's game got out of hand.

Suspending players four to nine games for repeatedly hitting a player from behind, especially punching them in the head, is a bad message to send to players.

We have seen what happens when this brutality goes too far: players' heads hitting the ice, players getting taken off stretchers, stars of the game leaving the game for extended periods due to severe injuries.

Hockey is a tough sport, but there's no excuse for hitting someone from behind. It's not only classless and dirty, it's a good way to take away the integrity of the game.

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