AHL upholds 20-games suspension for Downie

Hockey Betting Lines

03/10/2009 - Springfield, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The American Hockey League on Tuesday voted to unanimously uphold the 20-game suspension levied against Norfolk Admirals forward Steve Downie.

Last Thursday, the AHL had suspended Downie for deliberately striking an official with his stick, but the Admirals, with the support of parent club Tampa Bay, appealed the decision.

Late in the third period of the Admirals' game against the Hershey Bears on February 28, Downie whacked linesman Mike Hamilton before a face-off. Downie was given a game misconduct at the time, then suspended indefinitely for the infraction.

According to Rule 41.2, any player who deliberately strikes an official, or intended to cause harm to an official, automatically draws a suspension lasting no less than 20 games.

The penalty is still in effect from the date of the original ruling, meaning the 21-year-old is not eligible to return until April 11.

It is the second time in his brief professional career that Downie has incurred a suspension of this length. He had to serve a 20-game penalty in 2007, stemming from an incident during a Flyers-Senators pre-season game in September of that year, when he launched himself at Ottawa forward Dean McAmmond, causing the veteran forward to suffer a concussion.

In 29 NHL games with the Flyers and the Lightning this season, Downie has three goals and three assists.

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.