Ward: Canes' version of punch 'a joke'
Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward said the Hurricanes' explanation of the Scott Walker punch was a "convenient excuse" that the NHL accepted in fining but not suspending Walker.
"If you, the media, accept that you're a bunch of sheep," Ward said today after the Bruins' morning skate. "... It just allows people to get off scot-free."
Hurricanes' general manager Jim Rutherford said Monday that Walker was coming to the "aid of a teammate" — Matt Cullen, who was shoved and hit by Ward — when he punched Ward in the face. Rutherford noted that during the series several Carolina players had been hit after the whistles and that it was inevitable that some point someone on the Canes would hit back.
"I know Jimmy is a pretty staunch Republican. I didn't know he brought Karl Rove in here to spin it for him," Ward said.
Ward said the incident with less than three minutes left in Game 5 on Sunday began when Cullen "slashed me in the back of the legs."
"I was simply telling him I was not happy with him," Ward said. "We were standing in front of the net, we were jawing. That was a well-crafted statement for Scott Walker, because I don't know any hockey player use the word 'engaged' to describe a fight.
"I don't remember a single word being said. I was looking at Matt Cullen and in the period of time in which (Walker's) left hand came across. I didn't see the right glove come off his right hand. The moment I knew his glove was off was when his fist was a foot from my face."
Told that Walker had said he told Ward "let's go" before the punch, Ward replied: "In .2 seconds? If you believe it, congratulations. ... It's a joke. It's honestly a joke."
Ward was examined for a possible orbital fracture. He said the doctors "saw something on the X-ray" and advised him to wear a visor in Game 6.
"I haven't worn one in 16 years and I'm not going to start now," Ward said.
Bruins coach Claude Julien didn't have a lot to say about the matter.
"You've got to respect and accept the decision and move on," Julien said today. "That's what we're going to do."
About the blogger
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is in his second season as the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at chip.alexander@newsobserver.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @ice_chip.
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Lots of comments here
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 16:02 — xpukguyI enjoyed reading the comments. About time this series got spiced up. But it still doesn't explain the punk move Walker did. I am a die-hard Caniac but am not proud of that move. Walker never explained that Ward told him to "Let's go." The team's bogus PR-written explaination and what Walker said didn't jive. As in typical team fashion, they need to get their facts straight.
Our team, our tradition.
Hate is a strong word but,
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 16:17 — hockeyhickI really don't like you. Please go away. You have never, and I mean EVER, contributed anything to this blog that wasn't laced with some ridiculous comment about the Canes management or PR. EVER! Why, in the face of the most important game of the season, would you bring that into this or any conversation? And if attendance, and jersey sales, and all the flags flying around town are any indication then WHATEVER THE PR DEPT IS DOING IS WORKING!!
I'm not a die hard hockey fan..
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 15:46 — UNC1998but I've looked at this series pretty closely. The Bruins are banging and getting in hits after the whistle. I'd expect an action like Walker's to come. Anything less, and the Bruins might think they could have their way all the time. One way to shut them up for good is take it to them tonight. I'm hoping the best for the Hurricanes. Even though I don't follow them closely I know they bring a lot of recognition to the area. That's a good thing. (College Championships don't hurt either) :)
.They won't go after Walker
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 15:10 — FooF_BBFAs much as I and the rest of the Bruins fan base would like to see Lucic or Thornton treat Walker like a punching bag, they simply won't do it. The important thing is winning this game. If the game gets out of hand either way then you may see something.
You guys better hope the Canes pull it off tonight because if it heads back to Boston we'll have the momentum in game 7.
Good Luck tonight should be a great game.
http://www.bostonbruinsfan.com
Does it really Matter ?
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:46 — esteban1949Why sweat the " small stuff" when in reality, It's ALL Small stuff" !!
Go Canes !!
What I Figured Out...
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:21 — penaltykiller74It must be the northern air, or the sharing of the first letter of the city name, but...
Boston fans really remind me of Buffalo fans
Whine about the things that get done to your team, which happen to be the same things your team is doing to the Canes, except 10x worse.
Result will be the same... Boston golfing.
Maybe they can get some tips from the Sabres, since they have had a little more practice.
GO CANES!!!
"The Doctors saw something
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:09 — mokimano"The Doctors saw something on the x-ray"...LOL...that was the money you could be saving by switching to Geico Aaron....
Fear the Teddy Bear!!!!!!
Funny...
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:23 — penaltykiller74But I think it was his lost pride for knowing he won't be able to get tickets to the next round at the RBC center to watch his former team in the Eastern Conf. finals.
But..
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 14:25 — penaltykiller74at least he might be able to get into a Cool Bars, right?
What?!?!?!?!?!?!
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:41 — canesfan44It is funny that Ward said that he didn't see the glove come off or the punch coming. If you look at the pictures from the fight, he flinched before Walker hit him. He also was looking right at Walker's glove when it came off.
I have watched hockey since I was a child and as an ardent hockey fan, fighting is a necessary part of the sport. Hockey is the only sport that allows the players to police themselves. Rules have been put in place to try to cut back on the fighting, but is something that has been in the sport for many, many decades.
As for Scott Walker, he is a respected player in the league and is a great team mate. He was the captain of the Nashville Predators before he came to Carolina. And in my opinion, Aaron Ward deserved what he got. He has done nothing but run his mouth about Carolina since he left after the ‘06 season. And everytime he has played against the Hurricanes he has been a cheap shot artist and an aggitator. Sean Avery filled the void that was left after Ward was traded to Boston.
And as much as I love Barry Melrose, he was wrong when he called it a sucker punch. Ward has been targeting the Hurricanes’ skill players all series long and when someone as tough as him stepped up to protect his team mate, Ward got scared and froze.
canesfan44........
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 21:45 — pmarz1...........at least try and get your facts straight. Ward said he didnt see the punch until it was about a foot from his face, hence the flinch and unless he can see right thru Walker, he didnt see the glove come off. Walker tossed the glove as he swung his hand behind him. It would seem that your comment regarding Barry Melrose would apply to virtually all of the national(not Boston)talking heads of hockey. I 've yet to hear/read anyone defend what Walker did and more importantly the decision handed down by the league. Maybe you can tell us if this indeed was a legit fight, why was Walker fined $2500. ??? The rules are very clear and he broke more than one. No one seems to mention the 3rd man in infraction.
Bruins Acting Like Punks After the Whistle
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:21 — abramsdougMy problem with the Bruins is simply that the Bruins are acting like punks after the whistle. I respect teams that believe in hard hitting between the whistles, and I understand the Bruins have been man-handled by a team they did not respect -- so they are looking for excuses. Still, they ought to have more respect for themselves than to spend most of their energy after the whistle looking for someone to shove or slap on the back of the head. After all, the #1 team in the East has lost the last three out of the last four games to the #6 team. Tonight, the Hurricanes can end the Bruins' misery and let them spend the summer thinking whether their cheap late hits did anything other than speed their summer vacation.
so.......
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 21:50 — pmarz1....does this mean you have no respect for your own team? Please dont tell me they dont do any of the crap after the whistle you just so eloquently whined about now. I just witnessed one of your team captains(Whitney) give Ward a punch to the face, long after the whistle had blown, as he skated away. Now that's real classy.
Ward's nutty statement
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:00 — scomil"I know Jimmy is a pretty staunch Republican. I didn't know he brought Karl Rove in here to spin it for him."
What a silly statement. Sounds like he's running for high school vice president or something. Ward must still be upset that Jim Rutherford wouldn't give him the measly extra 500k he wanted to stay home and play in Carolina. Now it is obvious why that was the case.
Damn right JR is a staunch
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:52 — myze13325Damn right JR is a staunch republican and we are damn proud of it (at least I am).
Maybe Ward was trying to be more like Obama and just talk to the enemy? Well when you do that you get punched in the face, when you are not prepared to use force.
Lets remember that Ward that made this political not me, but he is sounding like John Kerry.
Hey Myze...
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:00 — JumptheSharkI'm a diehard Bs fan, but I'm behind you 100% on this one.
Nice response.
U the man Jumptheshark, I
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:04 — myze13325U the man Jumptheshark, I greatly appreciate it. Looking forward to the game tonight. . . . EPIC
Glass Joe
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:46 — SlackZacsomeone needs to break out the old "Punch Out" video game... Aaron Ward reminds me of Glass Joe. One punch and he's out!
"let's go"
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:36 — rstruzikWard says "it's a joke" that Walker said "let's go" before the fight. I'm inclined to believe that Walker is telling the truth, based on another Bruin altercation. In this one with Andrew Alberts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjHKZgfy9sY), Walker shoves him, says "let's go," then starts throwing the punches.
But for Ward to say that Cullen "slashed [him] in the back of the legs" is a joke. The replay shows Cullen shoot it into Ward's skates, then reach (not slash) for the puck at Ward's feet as Ward clears it to the corner. At least Walker has the balls the admit that he's sorry that Ward wasn't prepared. Ward needs to grow some, stop faking like he has some serious injury, and stop acting like a victim when he started jabbing Cullen in the face.
Anyway, there is a game to be played. GO CANES!!!
yet another dum ass heard from.......
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 21:59 — pmarz1hey rstrizik, prior to the game tonight, they show your "chiorboy" Cullen taking a hack at Ward behind the net before the play moved out in front you moron. The reason why VS showed it was because Ward brought it up in his interview with the media earlier today. So they, unlike you, decided to make a minimal effort to see if what he said was true. You on the other hand, just opened your mouth and shoved your foot in it.....good job!
Scot-free or Scott Free?
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:26 — bu11durm"... It just allows people to get off scot-free."
Nice choice of words, Aaron.
Same Old Aaron
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:22 — hurricanes17You would think Ward would have learned by now to refrain from making such stupid comments. Let's not forget why the Rangers were so quick to trade him to the Bruins in the first place. He has always been a windbag.
what comes around goes around
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:12 — omfscanesfanThe punch may have been a little cheap by Walker, but how many times have the Bruins defensemen (mainly Chara) punched or shoved our players heads into the ice after a check. It seems like every time Chara takes one of our guys down he finishes the play by shoving their head into the ice 2 or 3 times before he gets up. Plus why did Aaron Ward just stand there and not protect himself. He shoved Walker first and then saw him drop his gloves, so I don't know why he was surprised what came next.
WAAAAHHHHH!!!
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:34 — HarpoonTheWhaleWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!
I see you're practicing for
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:10 — KzYI see you're practicing for after tonight's loss
Lost any and all respect for ward
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 11:59 — canes017Well after reading that article its safe to say that aaron ward's orbital bone must be lodged in his brain.
Well......
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 11:52 — reelpiratemaybe Ward can get some lessons from Alexander Semin. He has a wicked slap.
Nice
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 11:48 — FurbishLousewartNice to hear both sides of the situation now.
I don't know which of them is right (do any of us?), but from the statements it looks like Walker genuinely thought he was in a fight and felt bad that he in fact was not, and Ward is surprised that he got hit as hard as he did.
idiot
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 11:41 — caniac19Aaron Ward is an idiot. you don't hear our guys crying like sissy boys after every low blow and questionable hit during this series, just like you didn't see Wardo the Great throwing a hissy fit like Marty. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the punch, but jeez, take it like a man or don't play the game.
Take it like a man?
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:11 — HarpoonTheWhaleYou mean like Walker, who is falling all over himself apologizing and saying that he doesn't take cheap shots, because he's scared of what is going to happen to him tonight? You mean, be a man like Walker?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
Too funny.
Hey boy-Walker is being a man.
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 15:38 — hockeyhickI don't condone Walker's actions, but AT LEAST he wasn't going after someone 1/2 his size like Ward does (Cullen, Samsonov, etc...) I don't think the punch was right, and I applaud Walker for taking all the questions, owning his mistake, and BEING A MAN. And if you think Scott Walker is afraid of anyone on the Bruins-think again. Go ahead and go after him, or Jussi Jokinen, or anyone you want to go after. We'll let you seek revenge all the way back to the golf course. I am certain of one thing: it won't be Aaron Ward who goes after someone, unless it's Samsonov. Ward is a sissy, a coward, and a windbag.
Go after Walker, give it a
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 13:01 — myze13325Go after Walker, give it a shot I think it will backfire and you will go another 37 years with out winning a cup.
really?
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 12:25 — afflaqit's impossible to make you idiots happy, isn't it? He apologizes, he's a pansy. He beats the fuck out of your boy, he's cheapshotting. He doesn't get suspended, it's not fair. He gets suspended, he's lucky Lucic didn't get to him. Have fun on the golf course starting tomorrow.
I'll agree with that
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 15:51 — naturalcynicLots of big talk from the B's fans...just like those clods from Buffalo. It's sad, really. Almost pathetic, in fact...