Bert Blows A Gasket

Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi crowned himself the NHL's Number-One Head Case on Monday night, sending Steve Moore of the Colorado Avalanche to the hospital with fractured neck vertebrae and a concussion. Jumping his prey from behind, Bertuzzi landed a punch to the side of the head and pushed Moore down, where he did a face plant on the ice. It's an incident that will earn Bertuzzi a lengthy suspension and possible criminal charges. It could also derail his team's playoff hopes. The game, billed as a key divisional showdown, was a blowout. Colorado built a 5-0 lead in the first period and cruised to a 9-2 win. When it became evident that two points were out of reach, Vancouver turned it into a grudge match.

There were several fights, including Moore taking on Matt Cooke in the first period. Moore was the target of Vancouver's ire. His hit on Markus Naslund three weeks ago forced Naslund to miss three games with a concussion, enraging the Canucks and their fans.

Last Friday's extended punch-up between Philadelphia and Ottawa played out mostly as a harmless, boys-will-be-boys sideshow. But the game in Vancouver appeared to have a nastier, darker edge from the start. Bertuzzi's ambush took place in the third period, after he had challenged Moore to fight and chased him down.

"Todd feels awful about it and is very sorry," Canucks' captain Markus Naslund told reporters. "I know it might not mean much right now." He's right about that last part.

Speaking with a Vancouver radio station on Tuesday, Canucks' GM Brian Burke said the team will support Bertuzzi, calling him a "character guy."

No doubt there will be further contrite talk from the Canucks, considering that the attack is indefensible. The NHL will make an example of Bertuzzi, with precedent suggesting a suspension of ten games or more. He should use the break to have his head examined.

But in the long run, Bertuzzi's lunatic turn also wounds his team. He is a premiere power forward, and without him the Canucks have a huge hole in the lineup. But the lingering fallout from could be even more damaging.

Going into the playoffs, a team likes to have things thrumming along as normal, no surprises, no distractions. The outrage and media attention that envelops an ugly incident is exactly what they don't need. The Canucks, who have been looking fragile lately, will likely be even more unsettled over the next few days, as they deal with the "Bertuzzi incident." It won't make it any easier for them to get their game back, with or without Todd Bertuzzi.