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Blackthorn · 06-24-2004, 10:10 AM

Steve Bertuzzi was charged with assault and I think this was overdue. Some of the sports fans out there will disagree and that's fine. I'm not a fan of hockey and have never played the game so I don't share that "fan = fanatic" perspective for this sport. What I witnessed in the video clip of this incident was purely premiditated assault. There is no place for this in ANY sport.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...a/nhl_bertuzzi

Quote:

Canada - Canadian Press
Jim Morris

Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi charged with assault after on-ice punch

VANCOUVER (CP) - Vancouver Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi (news) was charged Thursday with assault causing bodily harm for his on-ice attack on Colorado Avalanche player Steve Moore that left Moore with neck injuries.

The charges were announced by the criminal justice branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General after an investigation that lasted four months.

The attack was witnessed by over 18,000 people at the arena and has been shown repeatedly in television clips broadcast across North America and Europe.

Bertuzzi has been ordered to appear in provincial court July 9.

The March 8 incident left Moore, 25, in hospital with three fractured vertebrae - two cervical vertebrae and a fracture of the transverse process in a thoracic vertebra - facial cuts, significant post-concussion symptoms and "significant amnesia."

Nerves in the neck area were also stretched by the blow.

Doctors say it's not known when, or if, the Windsor, Ont., native can play hockey again.

The National Hockey League suspended Bertuzzi, 29, for the final 13 games of the regular season and Vancouver's seven playoff games.

The suspension cost Bertuzzi $501,926.39 US of his $6.8-million salary. The Canucks were also fined $250,000.

Bertuzzi was also left off Team Canada's roster for this fall's World Cup.

His indefinite suspension won't be lifted until NHL commissioner Gary Bettman holds a hearing with the Canuck star. During a May 25 interview, Bettman gave no indication when that meeting might occur.

Bertuzzi's only public comment was a tearful apology two nights after the incident occurred.

"Steve, I just want to apologize for what happened out there," said the Sudbury, Ont., native. "I had no intention of hurting you. I feel awful for what transpired."

"I don't play the game that way," he added. "I'm not a mean-spirited person. I'm sorry for what happened."

Bertuzzi hired Len Doust, one of B.C.'s most high-profile counsels, to represent him.

During the game, with the Avs already leading 8-2, the six-foot-three, 235-pound Bertuzzi grabbed Moore from behind at 8:41 of the third period.

He sucker-punched the Avs forward on the side of his head and then landed on top of the six-foot-two, 205-pound Moore, driving his head into the ice.

The attack was seen as retaliation for a hit Moore put on Vancouver star Markus Naslund (news) that left the Canuck captain with a concussion and sidelined him for three games.

There is precedent for a hockey player facing charges for his on-ice action.

Most recently Marty McSorely, then with the Boston Bruins, was charged with assault after bashing then-Canuck Donald Brashear (news) with a stick to the head in February 2000.

McSorley was convicted of assault with a weapon and given an 18-month conditional discharge.

Bertuzzi had 17 goals, 43 assists and 122 penalty minutes in 69 games this season.

Moore, who has a degree in environmental sciences and public policy from Harvard, had five goals, seven assists and 27 penalty minutes in 57 games.