Alexandre Burrows Is Game 2's No. 1 Asterisk, Latest Affront to NHL's Integrity

You could argue that the Boston Bruins would have found themselves in this 2-0 hole anyway. That when sized up against the President’s Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks, they are not a three-period hockey team, let alone an overtime team, even with their best effort.

But the fact is that Alexandre Burrows is going to be taken for the latest black eye on the NHL’s faulty disciplinary façade. Two nights after biting the finger of opposing center Patrice Bergeron and getting away with it, he had a hand in all three goals, including the sudden death strike, en route to Vancouver’s 3-2 victory on Saturday.

It does not help the defense case when you replay everything that was caught on tape during NBC’s Game 2 telecast.

Exhibit A: Vancouver captain Daniel Sedin coming on screen during a pre-taped quickie and jokingly referring to Burrows as “the vegetarian.”

Exhibit B: The fact that three ex-players on the broadcast crew―Eddie Olczyk, Keith Jones and even quintessential tough guy Mike Milbury―all expressly agreed that Burrows’ action warranted a suspension.

Exhibit C: The third period, post-whistle scrum wherein Maxim Lapierre cast a mischievous grin whilst waving his ring finger in Bergeron’s face. That, more than anything, ought to instill a sting of regret to Mike Murphy and Co., as if there were no situations of a like nature during Colin Campbell’s tenure as the league's chief disciplinarian.

Rest assured that this piece is falling into the Bruins section of this Web site by coincidence. Yes, in recent years, Boston buffs have been drained of their faith in any just and loving hockey gods a tad more frequently than other fan bases, but they are hardly alone.

For New Englanders and their on-ice caterers, the events that have transpired over these first two Stanley Cup Finals games evoke the same vinegary flavor of 2009. In the second round of that year’s playoffs, Carolina Hurricane Scott Walker sucker-punched then-Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward with 2:47 left in Boston’s one-sided Game 5 victory.

Four nights later, Walker punched in the deciding strike that clinched Game 7 for his team.

A month after that, Detroit Red Wings fans had every cause to break out the Pepto Bismal when Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins lifted both the Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy in front of them. For you see, earlier in that series, Malkin had instigated a brawl with Henrik Zetterberg after the Wings had already cemented a 2-0 lead in the series.

Malkin, of course, did no time, even though an instigation infraction in the final five minutes of a game conspicuously warranted a one-game suspension. Instead, he went back home with his team and charged up a playmaker hat trick in Game 3, followed by a goal and assist in Game 4, both 4-2 Pittsburgh triumphs.

Once in each of the last two playoffs, the Philadelphia Flyers have rallied to win a series while an opposing player has licked his wounds courtesy of captain Mike Richards. Last year, in Game 3 of the second round, the Bruins’ David Krejci was rendered invalid for the rest of a series that saw Philadelphia delete a 3-0 deficit and advance.

Similarly, in Round 1 this season, Richards shoved Buffalo’s Tim Connolly headfirst into the corner of his own zone as the Sabres tried to shut the Flyers down in Game 6. Instead, Connolly was shut down for Game 7 with a separated sternum. Richards played, and Philly prevailed.

And now this: further evidence to the unwritten rule that many rules somehow do not apply in the NHL postseason. And if there are just and loving hockey gods, they merely let the on-ice criminals win because it is the only way to prove to Campbell and Murphy that they are influencing the outcome of these games the wrong way.

Everyone can hope Brendan Shanahan is reading this saga studiously.