2 games for hit on Lovejoy

Wednesday, 30 January 2013 14:32

Written by Shelly Anderson

New York Islanders winger Colin McDonald was suspended by the NHL for two games for his hit from behind Tuesday night on Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy.

McDonald, who spent last season in the Penguins organization, got a boarding major penalty and a game misconduct at the time. In its explanatory video, the NHL said McDonald, who was tracking Lovejoy and the puck from behind, had a long lead time before the hit and Lovejoy, and Lovejoy did not turn.

Lovejoy was not injured.

"I'm good," he said after practice today, before the NHL ruling. "I had a bloody nose for a while. Whenever we get hit in the head now we have to see the doctor [to be evaluated for a possible concussion], and I passed all that. My head feels great. I was coughing up a little blood just from the bloody nose, but other than that I was pretty lucky."

As for the hit, Lovejoy said, "i do think I was very vulnerable. My back was to the play the whole time, I do know him as a player and as a person. I don't think it was meant to be malicious, but it was definitely not a clean hit."

For those who later saw Lovejoy leave the bench area for a while, that was because he also was left with a skate problem after the hit and needed to attend to that.

You can watch the NHL department of player safety explanatory video here.

And you can see the hit here.