Malkin Suspension Rescinded for Game 3

Penguins fans rejoice, you will have your second best player in the lineup Tuesday night for your pivotal game 3 at home vs the Red Wings. Colin Campbell announced, as expected, that Malkin's automatic 1 game suspension for receiving an instigator penalty in game 2, would be rescinded and Malkin would be cleared to play.

By NHL rule, supposedly, any player given an instigator penalty in the last 5 minutes of a game, will be handed a 1 game suspension to be served immediately. Malkin was given the penalty when he started a fight with Red Wings star Henrik Zetterburg in the waning moments of game 2.

Campbell had the following explanation for the decision; "Suspensions are applied under this rule when a team attempts to send a message in the last five minutes by having a player instigate a fight," Campbell said in a statement. "A suspension could also be applied when a player seeks retribution for a prior incident. Neither was the case here and therefore the one game suspension is rescinded."

Fortunately for Malkin, Carolina's Scott Walker had his 1 game suspension rescinded by Campbell as well when he flattened Bruins defenceman Aaron Ward a few weeks back. Walker's disgusting and unprovoked haymaker on Ward makes Malkin's pathetic attempt to land some feeble blows on Zetterburg look pretty pale in comparison.

One of my favourite subplots in the series is Detroit's refusal to give any recognition with the press to the efforts of Crosby and Malkin to act tough at the end of games. In both instances, when the media asked Detroit players for their thoughts on the actions of the Penguin's superstars, Detroit players shrugged it off and said it was no big deal. Great mind game right there. Malkin and Crosby have obviously took it upon themselves to be more physical and show some toughness, and Detroit refuses to acknoweldege it, almost laughing it off.

Game 3 goes Tuesday night at 9:00 atlantic, game 4 on Thursday night at the same time.

CBC took the first major step in replacing Bob Cole as the network's number 1 play by play man. As you know by now, Jim Hughson is covering the Stanley Cup finals, replacing the 76 year old Cole who has been calling the finals since the death of Harry Gallivan. When asked to comment, Cole simply said, "oh baby"...............In "stop the world I want to get off" news, Cleveland Browns' rookies are pissed off at Eric Mangini for making them take a 10 hour bus ride to work a football camp that Mangini had organized for troubled youth. Think about that as you do your mundane or awful job for a salary that is a fraction of what these jerks are paid.......Roy Oswalt says he will not accept a trade to the Chicago White Sox, becoming the second premier NL pitcher, along with Jake Peavy, to decline an existing or potential trade to the Sox..........Jacques Martin was hired as the new head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, a great choice by Bob Gainey, I still don't know why Ottawa ever let him go.........Lakers and Magic get started on Thursday night at 10:00 ATL. In other NBA news, Lebron James says he is very pleased with the Cavaliers development this season and thinks they will be even better next season. Hey Bron Bron, we're not buying it, we know you're gone after 2010.........The Fed had to come back from 2 sets down to beat that evil german, Tommy Haas, to advance to the quarter finals. Federer struggled to win almost all of his matches in the preliminary rounds. With arch rival Rafael Nadal eliminated, Federer will be trying to win his first French Open.