NHL Suspends Penguins Tibbett Four Games for Punch January 29, 2001 7:15 pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Billy Tibbetts was suspended four games without pay by the NHL on Monday for sucker punching Atlanta Thrashers left wing Darcy Hordichuk while he was on the bench. The incident occurred in the third period of Saturday's game and came after Tibbetts received 17 penalty minutes for a second-period fight with Denny Lambert. With 5:47 remaining, Tibbetts threw a punch, catching a startled Hordichuk squarely in the face. "We had been going at it. I had spanked his butt," Hordichuk said. "You don't have much respect for guys like that. Just read the papers. You know he's a young guy who's looking for a reputation. You do what you have to do." Tibbetts received a match penalty for attempt to injure but expressed regret afterwards. "I am sorry about what happened," he said. "Some things you don't do. It won't happen again." That did not smooth things with league officials, however. "Any involvement between players on the ice and players off the ice is not acceptable," said Colin Campbell, NHL senior vice president and director of hockey operations. Based on his $400,000 salary, Tibbetts will forfeit $8,556.15. He will be eligible to return on February 11 at Minnesota.
