Exhibit A in the case of Rene Bourque vs. Adam Burish: A nick on said complainant's chin.
Among all the hockey-based scars on the mug of the Calgary Flames winger is clear evidence of an infraction -- a high stick to the face late in Game 3.
The Chicago Blackhawks agitator must be guilty.
"It caught me a little bit on the jaw. The stick caught me when it came up," said Bourque, who was scratched for Game 4 last night.
"There's nothing I can do about it."
This evidence is clearly too late in being revealed.
The verdict came in a day earlier. Burish is innocent of all charges, said NHL brass.
Bourque's defence team played their cards wrong, keeping the first-time playoff performer sequestered from the jury (Read: The media looking for reaction).
"It's easy to see what happened," Bourque said, still pleading his case yesterday morning.
"I don't know how the refs didn't see it. That's what blows my mind," said Bourque.
"This isn't going to make me stop playing physical.
"That's how I play. That's the way I played all year and I won't change."
Bourque wasn't available immediately following Game 3 Monday night and Flames head coach Mike Keenan said it was because he was 'day-to-day' from the incident.
On Tuesday, Bourque didn't skate and Keenan reiterated the player was day-to-day. Asked if he would play, Keenan replied: "Today's today and tomorrow's tomorrow. Seriously, he's day-to-day."
Yesterday, Keenan called Bourque a "game-time decision."
The games within the games continue. When Bourque was asked if he's ready to go: "You have to ask Mike. It's his choice."
Are you physically ready?: "I feel pretty good."
However, Bourque admitted he was banged up from a wicked collision with Brent Seabrook in Game 3, one that had him limping off the ice, only to heroically return later in the period.
"I tweaked my ankle a bit," Bourque said. "I went into the boards weird. I watched the replay and I saw my leg get caught between the boards and his body."
Bourque said he isn't surprised Burish wasn't suspended because the Flames escaped punishment on Michael Cammalleri's shot to the jaw of Martin Havlat in Game 1.
"After what happened with Cammy and Havlat, I thought this probably evened it out," Bourque said. "This one was probably a bit worse. That's fine. It's not going to get out of hand. It's the playoffs and both teams are going to stay disciplined.
"I won't go out of my way to try to injure somebody. I took enough penalties last game (three slashing minors) so I'm trying to stay out of the box."
Asked if he and Burish are still good friends: "We are definitely friends. But it's the playoffs."
Will you be going for a beer in the off-season: "We'll see -- We'll see who wins the series."
