The National Hockey League home office actually decided that Sharks forward Jamie McGinn had been castigated enough. The league took no more action against McGinn for his check into the boards of Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome in the course of San Jose's 4-3 victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

McGinn received a 5 minute major penalty and a game misbehavior for the hit, which bloodied Rome and enforced him from the game in the 3rd period Friday night. But Saturday, the league passed on dangling McGinn after holding a punitive hearing.

And McGinn was sticking to his story. He said he did not mean to damage Rome and was trying only to finish his check.

"It is very bad that he got injured," said McGinn, who also received a game misbehavior in the first-round series against Los Angeles. "I think I have looked at it hundred times. I tried to slow. I was concluding my check, and he hit his head on the glass."

McGinn added: "I am not a bad player. I do not try to take guys' heads off. I just try to play as hard as possible."

In the first period, McGinn banged Christian Ehrhoff out of the game with a side by side check.

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault had a bit to say about the National Hockey League's decision not to suspend McGinn.