HKN-NOTEBOOK-NYT
Alex Burrows
Last Monday in Vancouver  the feisty Canucks wing Alex Burrows -- suddenly a hot scorer -- was named the NHL's first star of the week. But the referee Stephane Auger was not congratulating him later that evening when television cameras caught him with his arm around Burrows' shoulder before a game against Nashville.
 "It was personal " Burrows told reporters after the game. He said that Auger complained that he had made him look bad in a game on Dec. 8 against Nashville.
 "He said he was going to get me back tonight  and that's what he did in the third  I think " Burrows said.
 Burrows said the league should suspend Auger for the rest of the season  something the league declined to do.
 In the first game  at Nashville  Burrows was hit by the Predators' Jerred Smithson. Auger assessed Smithson a five-minute charging major and a game misconduct  but the league later rescinded the misconduct.
 In the third period of the second game  Auger called two penalties on Burrows. In the final moments  Burrows complained to Auger  who slapped him with an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.
 On Wednesday  the NHL fined Burrows $2 500 for his remarks and issued no sanction against Auger  saying that the nature of the pregame conversation between the two men "could not be substantiated."
 Colin Campbell said that Auger told Burrows he did not need his help in making calls and did not appreciate the embellishment. Campbell added that Burrows did not notify his coach after the conversation with Auger.
 "The first time he mentioned it was after the game in the press conference " Campbell said.
Last Monday in Vancouver  the feisty Canucks wing [TGT] -- suddenly a hot scorer -- was named the NHL's first star of the week. But the referee Stephane Auger was not congratulating him later that evening when television cameras caught him with his arm around [TGT] shoulder before a game against Nashville.
 "It was personal [TGT] told reporters after the game. He said that Auger complained that he had made him look bad in a game on Dec. 8 against Nashville.
 "He said he was going to get me back tonight  and that's what he did in the third  I think " [TGT] said.
 [TGT] said the league should suspend Auger for the rest of the season  something the league declined to do.
 In the first game  at Nashville  [TGT] was hit by the Predators' Jerred Smithson. Auger assessed Smithson a five-minute charging major and a game misconduct  but the league later rescinded the misconduct.
 In the third period of the second game  Auger called two penalties on [TGT]. In the final moments  [TGT] complained to Auger  who slapped him with an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.
 On Wednesday  the NHL fined [TGT] $2 500 for his remarks and issued no sanction against Auger  saying that the nature of the pregame conversation between the two men "could not be substantiated."
 Colin Campbell said that Auger told [TGT] he did not need his help in making calls and did not appreciate the embellishment. Campbell added that [TGT] did not notify [TGT] coach after the conversation with Auger.
 "The first time [TGT] mentioned it was after the game in the press conference " Campbell said.