Yes, Todd Bertuzzi has been suspended for the duration of the 03/04 regular season and playoffs as well. It's difficult to argue with the suitability of his punishment. But, there are two ways to deal with this if you are a Canucks fan: h3. The Quick Method Pretend that Todd Bertuzzi has a broken leg, torn ACL or whatever other long term injury comes to mind. See, the situation is now akin to Markus Naslund's broken leg of two years ago. It's still a dissapointing set of affairs, but it's no longer as bitter a scenario as the media-frenzied atmosphere awaiting you in reality. h3. The Long Method Blame Marc Crawford for turning the animosity level of that game up a notch. He did employ the if-you-can't-beat-em-on-the-ice-then-you-can-beat-em-on-the-face once his team was down 5-0 in the first period. And the CBC reports that atleast Tony Granato would agree with you: bq. Avalanche coach Tony Granato holds Canucks coach Marc Crawford responsible for the violence that erupted between the two teams on Monday night. "(Crawford's) responsible for their players and their actions," said a seething Granato. "I didn't like the body language, and I didn't like the way he was standing there. I didn't like the way the whole thing transpired. There's no need for that." Blame the NHL's lax policing of unseen offences as the underlying cause of this whole problem: Steve Moore is not a saint and if he were suspended for his earlier cheap shot against Markus Naslund, then the Canucks would not have been nearly so aggrieved going into that farce of a game. Brian Burke was right, Moore's hit was a case of "a marginal player going after a superstar with a headhunting hit" and the NHL's tendency to turn a blind eye to such incidents only makes such outrage fester. Conversely, blame the instigator rule for what many from the NHL's old school consider to be a get-out-of-pain-free card for chippy players like Moore. Basically, the penalties for a quick act of self-policing--also known as the ubiquitous quick shot upside o' the head--are too severe to satisfy any recent grievances. Thus, as Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press argues: bq. The instigator rule was created to curtail what some perceived as wanton vengeance. Now, whoever instigates a skirmish risks an extra two-minute minor penalty as well as a 10-minute game misconduct. The price of payback could be a power-play goal. But all the instigator rule has done is create a climate in which the thugs and skilled alike have carte blanche to freely employ their sticks as weapons without fear of retaliation. Instate a personal sports-media blackout. Take ESPN's Barry Melrose's sentiments to heart and then just try to enjoy a hockey game: bq. Many people who don't truly understand the game are talking right now, but they are exactly the group who should not be saying anything. The NHL is dealing with one terrible incident and will survive. Let's just hope Steve Moore's career survives. Now, if you'll excuse me, I shall temporarily ignore the above advice and go lament the loss of what may have been the only oppurtunity for the Canucks to win the Stanley Cup in my life time. Sob.