Defenseman Tyler Myers’ three-game ban serves no good to Buffalo Sabres playoff efforts-NHL News
Bad news for the Buffalo Sabres on their way to the playoffs – they are going to be without their star defenseman, Tyler Myers, for next three games.
Myers is due to serve a three-game suspension from Wednesday, March 14, 2012, and will return to the side next week.
The player has been found guilty of a foul while hitting Montreal Canadiens’ forward, Scott Gomez, in their game on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. Sabres won the game, thanks to Myers’ decisive goal in the overtime.
Myers will serve the ban without pay and is expected to forfeit $14,189.19 in the salary.
Following the game, National Hockey League (NHL) disciplinarian, Brendan Shanahan, held the hearing involving both players.
Shanahan found Myers guilty of committing the foul while striking Gomez from the back, when apparently he seemed to be defenceless with his back towards Myers.
He said since Gomez’s back was towards Myers, the onus to avoid the hit was on him (Myers) and the hit on the player into the boards in the situation was in contravention of the league rules.
Therefore, he handed down the ban without pay to him. The penalty had come into third period of the game and the punishment was left to the postgame hearing.
Sabres are hosting Colorado Avalanche this Wednesday and it will be the first miss of the defenseman as part of the punishment with two more games to go over the next week.
Sabres, with 74 points, are just behind the Washington Capitals, who, with 78 points, are the last/eighth spot holder among the playoff hopefuls from the Eastern Conference.
The race for the playoffs has become very competitive lately, and if Sabres are unable to catch up on the Washington Capitals, next position will be even harder for them to secure.
Ottawa Senators with 81 points are the next/7th position holder in the conference, and there is a clear three-point margin between them and Capitals. Sabres need to beat both to claim either of the last two spots.
Therefore, the suspension of their top defenseman at this juncture of the time, when the regular season is fast approaching its closure, does not bode well with their hopes and chances.
The team must be hoping not to lose the three games they are going to play without Myers and if they do, it will be a major setback to their playoff hopes.
Meanwhile, either the management or the player has not offered any comment on the penalty and in absence of any report around the possibility of appealing against the ban, the player remains certain for the suspension.
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