This post is in response to Joe's statements in the game recap, and I've made it a separate thread because I feel the subject deserves to be debated aside from the game itself. I realize I'm in the minority on this issue, but I'm still interested in hearing what you guys think. The following was Joe's statement, regarding Sean Avery's slashes on Komisarek tonight, in the recap.:

His slash on Komisarek after the whistle, however, was a blatant cheap shot; and the NHL will probably give him a suspension. I completely endorse this, I normally have Avery's back for his antics but this crossed the line. There was no need for it, it gave the Maple Leafs a potentially deadly power play opportunity and put the Rangers in a bad spot.

Personally, I feel Avery's slash on Komisarek was NOT a cheap shot. A cheap shot is when a guy is being held down on the ice by referees and Ilya Kovalchuk sees fit to get a few potshots shots in. Komisarek was capable of defending himself, but instead he chose to take a dive. Avery was CLEARLY trying to get under his skin without any causing serious damage.

Avery slashed at his ANKLES for Christ's sake! It's not like he was trying to injure the guy. More importantly, it worked AND he rallied the team. Avery proceeded to get an assist on Brian Boyle's goal, and Komisarek took a terrible penalty when he retaliated, which made Avery's penalty a wash.

Will he be suspended? Most likely. He's Sean Avery. Does he deserve to be? No.

I understand his slash came after the play was dead, but Armstrong's hit from behind on Gaborik was far worse. Only one of these plays was capable of and did in fact cause a serious injury.

The NHL is in the process of increasing the severity of punishments for certain infractions, but we have already witnessed unequal enforcement. Wisniewski's lewd gesture was nowhere near as bad or as dangerous as Hjalmarsson's hit on Pominville, yet both received the same suspension. Until a suspension policy is thoroughly clarified and applied equally across the board, suspensions will continue to be a joke.

Avery doesn't deserve a suspension, and anything more than a one game suspension is a clear indication that suspensions are being applied on a player-by-player basis, rather than a case-by-case basis, which is unacceptable.