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LOS ANGELES -- Sharks forward Raffi Torres was suspended for the rest of San Joses second-round playoff series against Los Angeles on Thursday for an illegal check to the head of Kings forward Jarret Stoll during the opener. The NHL announced the suspension a few hours before the Kings hosted the Sharks in Game 2. Stoll wasnt expected to play for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Stoll didnt return to Game 1 after Torres hit him late in the second period of the Kings 2-0 victory. Torres got only a minor penalty for charging on the hit, and coach Todd McLellan and captain Joe Thornton echoed Torres belief that the hit was completely legal. The NHLs Department of Player Safety sharply disagreed while handing down a fourth suspension for Torres, considered a repeat offender in dangerous hits under the leagues collective bargaining agreement. Torres flew to New York for an in-person hearing Thursday. While playing for Phoenix last season, Torres received a 21-game suspension -- initially 25 games -- for a high hit on Chicago star Marian Hossa in the first round of the playoffs. Torres was suspended for two games in January 2012 for charging Minnesota defenceman Nate Prosser, and he sat out four games in April 2011 for a hit to the head of Edmontons Jordan Eberle while playing for Vancouver. Stoll was bent forward while trying to play a bouncing puck when Torres approached him from the side for a violent hit. Stolls head snapped back violently before he fell forward onto the ice. In an explanatory video released by Brendan Shanahan, the NHLs senior vice-president of player safety, he said Stolls head was "the principal point of contact" in the hit, creating grounds for suspension. Although Torres initially made contact with Stolls right shoulder, Shanahan ruled that the shoulder hit was only a glancing blow, as evidenced by the direction both players travelled after the contact. Torres claimed he had changed his ways during a largely incident-free season with Phoenix and San Jose, his sixth team in six seasons. He has been a dependable depth forward this season for the Sharks and Coyotes, scoring 18 points with just 17 penalty minutes in 39 games. The Kings lose much more in the absence of Stoll, their veteran third-line centre. Stoll is a faceoff specialist and a top penalty-killer with a strong two-way game. Brad Richardson, who played 13 playoff games during the Kings championship run last year, is expected to take Stolls spot in the lineup. Los Angeles hasnt disclosed the nature of Stolls injury or a timetable for his recovery. Torres, Thornton and McLellan all claimed the hit was completely legal, while Kings coach Darryl Sutter called it "careless." Torres and Stoll are friends after three seasons as teammates in Edmonton from 2005-08. "We were kind of shocked to hear he has to fly to New York for the hearing, because we didnt see anything wrong on the play," Thornton said Wednesday. "Its unfortunate that Raffi has to go through this again." McLellan prepared for Torres likely absence by moving Joe Pavelski onto the Sharks second line on the left wing with Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau. Scott Gomez moved into Pavelskis spot on the third line, and Tim Kennedy is likely to suit up on the fourth line. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. HOUSTON -- Former NBA All-Star Steve Francis has been charged with felony retaliation after prosecutors say he threatened to assault a Houston-area deputy during a traffic stop.Court records show the 39-year-old Francis also faces a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge stemming from the Saturday incident. Online jail records show he was released on $5,500 bond. Hes scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.KHOU-TV reports Francis was pulled over in Harris County, Texas, ffor speeding.ddddddddddddThe station says a deputy smelled alcohol and Francis was belligerent. The report says more deputies were called to the scene and Francis was arrested. Authorities say no deputies were assaulted.No attorney is listed for Francis in online court records.Francis played for 11 seasons in the NBA, including seven in Houston. ' ' '