Pittsburgh Penguins forward James Neal has been suspended for five games, without pay, for kneeing Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand during NHL Game No. 438 in Boston on Saturday, Dec. 7, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 11:06 of the first period. Neal received a minor penalty for kneeing. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Neal will forfeit $128,205.15. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. Brooks Orpik was placed on injured reserve with a concussion, and recalled defenseman Brian Dumoulin from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Orpik was injured Saturday during an incident with the Bruins' Shawn Thornton. Orpik was removed from the ice on a stretcher and was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was alert and conscious. Orpik returned from the hospital and will travel with the team back to Pittsburgh. Thornton will have an in-person supplementary disciplinary hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety for his actions. Orpik has one goal and six assists in 31 games and is fourth on the team with an average ice time of 21:30 per game. Orpik's absence continues to decimate the Penguins' defense corps. They also are missing top-four defensemen Paul Martin (leg) and Rob Scuderi (ankle). Dumoulin, 22, has one goal and five assists in 22 AHL games this season. If the 6-foot-4, 219-pounder plays Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN), it would be his first NHL game.
It is thought Neal's knee to Marchand head was an act of revenge for Marchand's check to the head on Neal in game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in June, going unpunished. A lot has been made of James Neal's past, with the 2012 play-off series between the Pens and the goons of Philadelphia. Considering that series was dominated by acts of thug-ary from Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn & Sean Couturier, it sames harsh to apportion Neal with a 'history' tag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rRE4peNjfM
Neal's kneeing incident
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=695100&navid=nhl:topheads
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