The NHL announced today that the Penguins winger has been suspended for five games for kneeing a fallen Brad Marchand in the head. Five games is the maximum amount on a phone hearing.
Before the kneeing, Marchand was tripped by Sidney Crosby before Neal collided with the Bruins player. Marchand stayed on the ice for a while, but did remain in the game. Shanahan says that the incident was more serious than simply not avoiding contact.
"While looking down directly at Marchand, Neal turns his skates and extends his left leg, ensuring that contact is made with Marchand's head," says Shanahan.
The other factor of Neal's five-game suspension was that he had been suspended twice previously, including a one-game penalty in the 2012 playoffs for charging Flyers center Claude Giroux. He will forfeit $128,205.15 in pay.
Ok, I'm sorry about the length of the games that I mentioned in one of my earlier posts. I didn't see the replay but now that I see it, he was clearly hit in the head. He was clearly hit in the head and in my opinion, you have to sit games for that. And I didn't know how many previous games he was suspended for. So, yes, this time, the punishment and the length of games fits the crime. When you've had two suspensions and you get a phone hearing, it should be five games and that's what he's got. So that is enough for James Neal. And he'll be out five games because of his actions.
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