ESPN New York - The Rangers issued a statement after rookie winger Carl Hagelin was suspended three games for his elbow to the head of Daniel Alfredsson in Game 2 Saturday.  “The New York Rangers accept the NHL’s three-game suspension of Carl Hagelin and will not pursue an appeal. However, we are thoroughly perplexed in the ruling’s inconsistency with other supplementary discipline decisions that have been made throughout this season and during the playoffs. We will have no further comment on this decision.”

So smashing someone’s head into the glass like it’s a goddamn coconut gets you a measly fine, but finishing a check and incidentally grazing a head in mid-duck is worth three freaking games?  Given the precedent set in Nashville, the hockey world was as “perplexed” as the Rangers were when word of Hagelin’s punishment came through, but the Shanny-nanigans didn’t stop there.  Moments later the former blueshirt handed down yet another decision – only a one game suspension for Matt Carkner’s gutless version of “standing up for his teammate“.  I’m honestly shocked Dubinsky didn’t receive supplemental discipline for intent to seriously injure a gatorade cooler.

But then again, intent doesn’t seem to be a major concern for the NHL sheriff’s department.  Zetterberg seems fine so why send a message for Weber’s deplorable antics?  Boyle got up laughing so why punish Ottawa’s honorless “response”?  But Alfredsoft had to leave the ice feeling woozy so Carl Hagelin, a first time offender, gets the regular season equivalent of a six game suspension?  I don’t even think the Senator captain is missing tonight’s game for crying out loud, but our blond Borg has to sit out the next three because of some too-late attempt from the league office to quell this steady stream of cheapshots.  Freaking ridiculous.  In my opinion, it’s the inconsistency that keeps players unafraid of the player safety department.  Not saying I wouldn’t have understood mandatory night in the press box for the kid, but punishing based on a hit’s result does little to eradicate headshots from the game.  Make a serious example of any and every ass that shows intent to seriously injure and the rest would follow.  @Osgood_StoolNYC  (h/t to @JILiebman for the pic) 

PS – So with a spot open in the lineup, does Torts go with goon John Scott to strike fear into the Senators, or will a certain BC kid make his professional debut in an absolutely crucial road playoff game?  Please, tell me it’s Kreider time tonight in Ottawa…

PPS – Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to tonight’s game in that please-let-this-go-well-or-I’m-going-to-be-fucking-miserable kind of way, but I literally cannot wait to watch the next Flyers-Pens “Slapshot” re-enactment.  Honestly, wow.  Shanny’ll have his hands full again after yesterday’s circus.  Move over Game of Thrones, we have a new must-watch series on our hands.  I still hope it ends as soon as possible but if you’ve missed one minute of that war on ice then your life is worse off for it…