King for a lifetime, fool for a... lifetime...

Vancouver Canucks forward, Todd Bertuzzi, made a disgrace of himself back in March when he brutally attacked an opposing player while on the ice. Now, he's facing criminal charges for it. Some might say deservedly so. But I wonder if there isn't a line between the law of the provincial courts and the NHL. There's already precedent for this. Back in 2000, renowned goon Marty McSorley was brought up on charges for an on-ice act of violence. While neither McSorley or Bertuzzi's assaults belong in the game of hockey, does the fact that they occurred during the run of play preclude them from having to face consquences outside the sport? Tensions are high, adrenaline is flowing, you don't always have a clear head. Then again, Bertuzzi's attack was definitely premeditated and I'm not about to excuse it. He deserves all the backlash he's getting, but this seems like a matter that should be left to the NHL.