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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Even Marty McSorley couldn't
believe what he did to Donald Brashear.
The Boston Bruins enforcer left Brashear unconscious and bloody
with a two-handed swinging slash to the head with 2.7 seconds left
Monday night in Vancouver's 5-2 win.
|  | | Boston goalie Byron Dafoe is taken off the ice on a stretcher after injuring his knee in the first period. |
Brashear was twitching on the ice as trainers rushed to his side
and blood was flowing from his nose. He was removed from the ice on
a stretcher and diagnosed with a concussion.
"I'm still in shock at what I did," McSorley said. "I have to come to terms with what I did.
"There's no excuse. It was so stupid. I can't believe I did it," he said.
McSorley could draw a suspension similar to the 21-game
punishment the NHL levied on Washington's Dale Hunter in 1993 for a
blindside check of Pierre Turgeon after a goal in a playoff game.
Hunter's penalty was the longest suspension given for on-ice violence.
Brashear, who fell backward and hit his head on the ice after
being struck, was alert and walking around in the dressing room. He
was to be re-evaluated throughout the night and in the morning.
"That was sickening to see," Canucks coach Marc Crawford said. "I haven't got
another word that I can use. You play the game and you expect to
play it hard but there is no reason for that. There's no room for
that. There's no place in hockey for that. It was a despicable act
and I'm sickened by it."
The brutal hit from behind to Brashear's right temple prompted
Vancouver goalie Garth Snow to go after McSorley. Referee Brad
Watson restored order and the game was declared over with time
still left on the clock.
Fans threw debris at McSorley as the Bruins left the ice.
McSorley was given a match penalty for attempting to injure and a
misconduct.
McSorley -- once known as Wayne Gretzky's protector -- and
Brashear had a fight just two minutes into the game.
"It's a shocker," Boston captain Ray Bourque said. "I've
never been a part of anything like that or witnessed anything like
that. There is no way to justify it."
Boston coach Pat Burns said he did not send McSorley after Brashear.
"I certainly wouldn't ask a player to do that," Burns said.
Said Vancouver forward Markus Naslund: "When things like that
happen, you worry about a life. The slash was bad enough to, I think, kill someone. The league has to make an example. We have to put a stop to things like this."
Late in the first period, Boston goalie Byron Dafoe left on a
stretcher after Brashear fell awkwardly onto him. Dafoe immediately
grabbed his right knee and Brashear was called for interference.
Todd Bertuzzi scored twice and Andrew Cassels had three assists
for the Canucks.
Naslund scored a power-play goal 1:30 in and the Canucks added
three more first-period goals to match a season high for goals in a
period.
Vancouver improved to 5-2 since the All-Star break and won its
third straight game for the first time since October, when they
opened the season 3-0.
The Canucks at 20-19-10 are nine points behind San Jose for the
final Western Conference playoff spot. Vancouver has three games in
hand on the Sharks.
Dafoe started the game but was replaced 2:29 in after
surrendering two goals on four shots. Dafoe returned six minutes
later, only to be injured soon after, when John Grahame allowed two
goals on four shots.
Bertuzzi gave Vancouver a 5-1 lead with his second goal 10:45
into the second, but left the game with a thumb injury after
sliding into the boards less than three minutes later.
Bourque played despite a muscle strain in his neck and scored
the Bruins' second goal with 3:28 left.
Sergei Samsonov scored Boston's other goal.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
Vancouver Clubhouse
McSorley suspended indefinitely for brutal hit
NHL's longest suspensions
RECAPS
Washington 1
Carolina 1
Ottawa 4
Florida 2
Detroit 2
NY Islanders 0
Buffalo 3
New Jersey 2
Tampa Bay 2
Pittsburgh 1
Nashville 5
Dallas 2
Edmonton 6
Los Angeles 3
St. Louis 4
Anaheim 2
Vancouver 5
Boston 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Marty McSorley attacks an unsuspecting Donald Brashear.
avi: 1060 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 This game dismayed Bruins captain Ray Bourque.
wav: 83 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Garth Snow regrets not being able to face McSorley again.
wav: 56 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Brad May will never respect McSorley again.
wav: 50 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Did Pat Burns ask McSorley to commit the act?
wav: 61 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Marc Crawford is in shock over the slashing incident.
wav: 118 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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