Monday Musings: NHL Throws the Book at Matt Cooke and More....

Here are some miscellaneous Monday musings from around the rinks as HM gets set for another week of work/hockey/laundry/making lunches, well, you get the picture:

• The NHL sent a huge message today as they threw the book (well, the whole series of Encyclopedia Britannica actually) at repeat offender Matt Cooke for his irresponsible and dangerous elbow to the head of Ryan McDonagh. For his most recent trangression, Cooke was suspended today for the remainder of the NHL's regular season and the first round of the playoffs. Finally, the league got it right when it comes to sending the message of no tolerance in regards to head hits.
• More on the Cooke hullabaloo from renowned hockey journalist Mike Brophy.
• The Capitals will face the conference-leading Flyers tomorrow night minus their marquee star, Alex Ovechkin. Ouch, but definitely worth sitting him to be good and fresh for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Flyers are still without their rough and tumble defenseman Chris Pronger. Puck drops tomorrow night at 7:30 on VERSUS.