TAMPA - Calgary coach Darryl Sutter on Tuesday insisted Ville Nieminen's Game 4, third-period blow to the head of the Lightning's Vinny Lecavalier was "defendable" and did not deserve the five-minute major and game misconduct it drew.
So his reaction on Wednesday was not surprising after NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell suspended the left wing for tonight's Game 5 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The stunner was the NHL/media/American/crybaby conspiracy Sutter read into the ruling. Or maybe it was just an us-against-the-world rallying cry for a team two wins from the Cup with two of the final three games in Tampa.
"We know what we're up against," said Sutter, implying the Nieminen decision was made in league headquarters in New York, not Toronto. "We're the underdog. We've said that. I am not saying it now to make a point, but it's dead-on true. We're the little team that wasn't supposed to be here and a lot of people don't want us to be here and to make sure that we're not successful. We know that."
League vice president of media relations Frank Brown called the apparent questioning of the league's integrity "great copy" but unfounded.
"We don't root. We never have," he said. "It's impossible for us to root. Thirty teams, they are our children, our family. We root for all of them. It's impossible to assert that we would prefer one over another and have it be based in something that is aligned with what the philosophy of the league is. It doesn't work that way."
Commissioner Gary Bettman seemed less amused, saying in a statement: "Mr. Sutter's comments were ill-advised, inappropriate and inaccurate. The focus of the Stanley Cup final should be on the ice, and to the extent any response is needed to any gamesmanship off the ice, it will be made after the final is over."
Sutter also blamed the media in part for what he sees as unfavorable rulings against the Flames, be they suspensions for Nieminen or lesser punishments for opponents, such as when Cory Stillman received two minutes - but no suspension - for throwing an elbow at Marcus Nilson in Game 1.
"The media is a powerful tool, believe me," Sutter said. "And it's unfortunate that's what ends up. I hold myself responsible because I don't b---- and whine in the media. I don't let our players talk about officiating in the media."
Nieminen, who has seven points and 55 penalty minutes in the playoffs, didn't make the trip to Tampa. Sutter didn't allow the Flames to be interviewed on Wednesday, an apparent tit-for-tat because the Lightning hadn't allowed player interviews the day before.
The suspension was Nieminen's second of the postseason. He drew another one-gamer in the second round for running into Detroit goaltender Curtis Joseph with four seconds left in Game 4.
The latest incident occurred at 15:47 of the third on Tuesday in a 1-0 Lightning win that evened the series at 2. Lecavalier was jostling for the puck by the boards when Nieminen skated toward him from behind and slammed Lecavalier's head into the boards with his forearm, dislodging Lecavalier's helmet. The center required stitches and complained of dizziness after the game.
"This hit was more severe than any of the other plays that were brought to our attention during the final," Campbell said. "This was a hit that clearly crossed the line and was directed at the head. Even if Lecavalier is able to play in Game 5, this type of hit must be subject to supplemental discipline."
The Lightning, which had a brief team meeting before addressing the media, followed coach John Tortorella's line in not commenting on the situation, "If Colin Campbell thinks it's a one-game suspension, it's a one-game suspension," defenseman Jassen Cullimore said.
Campbell said: "(Nieminen's hit was) one of those hits where our antennas were raised. Our reaction was there as soon as the hit was made, unlike the other ones."
- Times staff writers Damian Cristodero and Joanne Korth contributed to this report.
Gary Shelton: 
