Van Laren suspended for four games

Well it's official now, Chris Van Laren has received 4 games for the hit he delivered in Moncton on Saturday night to Les Aigles' Chris Gaudet.

Van Laren was given a match penalty for a hit he delivered to the head of Aigles Bleus forward Christian Gaudet. Quesnel came to Gaudet's defence after the hit and was handed a match penalty for slashing Van Laren.

Match penalties in the AUS carry automatic four-game suspensions.

Daily Gleaner "Tommies blueliner banished for four"

Moncton has appealed and is looking to get Van Laren's suspension increased and Qusnel's decreased. This is ridiculous. If Van Laren hit was high, he'll have to suffer the consequences. Fair is fair. I did see the hit but have not seen it again, so my opinion is based on 1 view. Gaudet got stood up at the Tommies blueline trying to enter the offensive zone, that is almost an impossible play to tell a defenseman not to make the hit.

As for Quesnel, he should get extra games for "intent to injure". The question I keep asking myself is why he goes after Van Laren with his stick, using it as a a weapon. Where is that in the hockey code? Where? If he challenged Van Laren to a fight or perhaps even tackled him, that I could understand and say you were sticking up for your team mate. Quesnel went too far, and lucky for Chris, didn't seriously injure him. Sticking up for your team mate is important but where do you draw the line?

(I wrote this the other day, see story below) I have personally seen a similar hit to that of Van Laren's two other times at the JLL. First time was in 2005 when Thatcher Bell of the Tommies was laid out by a Moncton player. Second time was the first game of the 2009 season and Wes Welcher was hit in the Tommies end of the ice, in a similar fashion by a Moncton defenseman, who had stepped up out of position looking for it. Wes sustained a concussion and separated shoulder on the play and had to be helped from the ice. No Tommie used a stick as a weapon in either case. My point being that hits are always going to happen, skate with your head up (as I was told in Moncton), but coming after a player with your hockey stick is not right. What ever Van Laren gets for a suspension then Quensel gets double for intent to injure. Just my green and gold two cents.