Articles: April 26th, Torts Suspended
NY Post: COACH SUSPENDED FOR BOTTLE TOSS
The NHL rightfully imposed a one-game suspension on Tortorella for the tantrum that also featured the coach grabbing the stick out of Aaron Voros‘ hands before brandishing it as a sword after turning back to face the fans.
Tortorella was intercepted and eventually calmed down by assistant coach Jim Schoenfeld, who will direct the team in Tortorella’s absence.
Schoenfeld is the only other head coach in NHL history to have been suspended for a playoff game. Then the Devils‘ coach, Schoenfeld sat out Game 5 of the Eastern finals in 1988 as a result of his notorious “Have another doughnut” confrontation with Don Koharski following Game 3 of the series against the Bruins.
It also happens that Schoenfeld twice was head coach of teams that blew 3-1 first-round playoff leads. His 1995 Caps were beaten in seven by the Penguins before his 1999 Coyotes were beaten in Game 7 OT by St. Louis. Just a footnote.
The verdict was relayed to the Rangers following a day of fact-finding. A statement by NHL VP Colin Campbell referred to a Sept. 8, 2008 memo sent to club personnel warning them to avoid physical contact with fans, specifically including squirting of water. The NHL found that Tortorella squirted a fan with water before he was doused, before he pegged the bottle over the glass behind the bench.
NY Daily News: Rangers coach John Tortorella suspended for Game 6 against Capitals
n the Rangers’ favor, at least, is that they have a highly capable and experienced coach in Jim Schoenfeld – Tortorella’s interim assistant and a former NHL head coach with four teams, including the Devils and Capitals – who will step into Tortorella’s shoes today. The Hartford Wolf Pack was eliminated from the AHL playoffs last night, so its staff, likely at least head coach Ken Gernander, a former Ranger, will give Schoenfeld a hand behind the bench.
“While it is a difficult decision to suspend a coach at this point in a playoff series, it has been made clear to all of our players, coaches and other bench personnel that the National Hockey League cannot – and will not – tolerate any physical contact with fans,” NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell, the ex-Ranger coach, said last night. “We do not take this action lightly. It is the result of an entire day of investigation and evaluation that included the retrieval and review of videotape of the incident and discussions with Mr. Tortorella, other Rangers bench personnel and a number of other people, including the security personnel at the Verizon Center.
“That investigation revealed that Mr. Tortorella squirted a fan with water before Mr. Tortorella was doused with a beverage. While, in these circumstances, it always is easy to allege mitigating circumstances, the fact is we do not tolerate contact with our fans in this manner.”
