Shane Doan, who was suspended three games for a hit to the head on Dan Sexton in the third period of Sunday's Phoenix Coyotes - Anaheim Ducks game, spoke with reporters today and was quite adamant that the hit was legal.
"Everything in the rules say the onus is on the hitter not to hit the player, not to hurt him. I deliberately didn't hit him. I cut in front of him, I don't catch his head. But they want to send a message and they did," Doan said, adding if he wanted to hit Sexton in the head he could have.
Doan said that he was just trying to take Sexton's ice and surprised him and that Sexton's own stick hit him in the head. The angle shown from the back doesn't clearly show the play.
For more coverage, visit Five for Howling.