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While the on-ice officials for the Bruins'
clinching Game 6 win in Columbus appeared to agree, issuing him
only a two-minute minor for contact to the head, the NHL on
Tuesday nonetheless suspended McAvoy for Game 1 of the Eastern
Conference finals.
The Bruins open the series against the Carolina Hurricanes on
Thursday in Boston.
After holding a hearing involving McAvoy, the league's
Department of Player Safety on Tuesday backed up the player's
contention that he had no malicious intent in the check on
Anderson, who left the ice after the second-period collision but
returned later in the game.
The hit occurred after Anderson won control of the puck and was
trying to move deeper into the attacking zone. His head appeared
to take the brunt of McAvoy's hit.
"I put my shoulder into him. It was a hockey play. I tried to
finish my check in a legal manner," McAvoy said. "I was
penalized two minutes and I served it."
However, the league said it issued the disciplinary measure
because McAvoy could have made the check on Anderson without
hitting him in the head.
In a video released by the department that talked about the
suspension, the league said: "It's important to note that while
Anderson's body and front shoulder do absorb some contact on
this check, the main point of contact was the head."
--Field Level Media
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