For the third offence of his career, Patrick Kaleta has been suspended five games without pay after his hit on Brad Richards on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. This is the maximum punishment for a player with a telephone disciplinary hearing. Kaleta was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit from behind.
Richards returned to the game after the hit, and though he chose not to practice the following day, New York Ranger’s coach John Tortorella said his centre would be fine.
Kaleta argues that he’s a new type of player as of recently, even if he is still considered a repeat offender around the NHL, especially after his head-butting incident in 2011 on the Flyers’ Jakub Voracek. Prior to that, the 26-year-old was suspended for two games in 2009 after a hit from behind on Jared Ross.
“I just play hard, and I was on the penalty kill trying to do my job,” said the Sabres forward. “I have changed my game. I know I have. I know players have seen that, and even referees have came up said, ‘Hey, I respect what you’ve done so far. As long as you keep showing that respect towards us, then we’ll respect you.'”
Don Cherry disagrees.
1. Buffalo's Kaleta got 5 games for running NYR's Richards. If ever a guy should get 5 games for anything it's this guy. He's a guy who runs
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) March 5, 2013
2. Around sticking and backstabbing and not dropping the gloves to back it up. I must say he is a cheap shot artist.
— Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerDC) March 5, 2013
