Tootoo Deserved Suspension For Miller Hit

There is a difference between the two high profile collisions with goaltender Ryan Miller. On the Lucic hit Miller skated out to the face-off dot to play the puck and should have been fair game (whether the rules permit it or not), where Tootoo lost the puck and launched himself at Ryan Miller in the goal crease. One hit deserved a harsh penalty, one deserved no penalty. Goalies should not have the right to skate far out of their net to play the puck without being touched, but when they get plowed in the crease while down on their knees to make a save, that's crossing the line.



Shanahan was right not to suspend Lucic, and right to suspend Tootoo. Well done. Just like when Patrick Roy once skated out to center ice to defend Claude Lemieux, he got plowed by Brendan Shanahan. That did not deserve a penalty or a suspension. If I'm not mistaken, Detroit won the Cup that season.