NHL Suspends Ovechkin for 2 games

NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell suspended Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin this afternoon for 2 games without pay as a result of Ovechkin's boarding hit on Chicago Blackhawks defensman Brian Campbell in the first period of yesterday's 4-3 overtime win.

Ovechkin, the NHL's two-time reigning Hart Trophy winner, was ejected after receivng a five-minute major and it has been reported that Campbell will most likely miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken clavicle, ribs, and suffering a concussion.

The suspension will cost Ovechkin $232,645.40 in salary as he will have to sit out tomorrow's game against the Florida Panthers, and Thursday's game in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes.

It is the second time this season that Ovechkin has been been ejected from a game due to receiving a boarding major. Ovechkin was ejected from the Capitals Nov. 25 game versus the Buffalo Sabres early in the third period after receiving a five minute major and a game misconduct for boarding the Sabres' Patrick Kaletta. Ovechkin was suspended Nov. 30 for a knee on knee hit on the Hurricane's Tim Gleason.

“We have no problem with the way Alex tried to finish his check," said Capitals' General Manager George McPhee. "Unfortunately, an injury resulted. We are disappointed with the suspension but do not want to comment further."

McPhee's response is no surprise due to his tight lipped nature. I, however, have the forum to share my true feelings.

The NHL dropped the ball on this decision. Just one week ago, Campbell decided to not punish Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Matt Cooke for his blind side shoulder to head hit on Boston Bruins' star forward Marc Savard.

Savard suffered a grade 2 concussion and will miss the remainder of the Bruin's season, however much longer it might be.

Campbell stated that because shoulder to head hits are currently legal, he did not feel it necessary that Cooke face further discipline, despite Savard suffering a significant injury and the fact that Cooke is a repeat offender.

So, what Campbell and the NHL are saying is that it is ok to severly injure another player as long as it is within the rules. It's ok to hit an unsuspecting player hard enough to cause him to suffer a severe concussion because the NHL rule book says it's ok too.

Look, I don't disagree that Ovechkin plays with reckless abandon. I don't disagree that Ovechkin has made some questionable decision's with regards to the hits he has chosen to make, especially this season. I also don't disagree that if Ovechkin doesn't learn to reign in his animal like aggresiveness that he may end up doing more damage to his own self then any one of his counterparts.

However what I do disagree with is the apparent bias in which the NHL has handled two very similiar situations.

Ovechkin did make a questionable decision in pushing Campbell in to the boards, but so did Cooke in his decision to level Savard, but for whatever reason, Oveckin is the one that receives further discipline.

The NHL got this one wrong on so many levels that the league's discipline choices have become laughable.

Colin Campbell deemed Ovechkin's hit on Brian Campbell "reckless." Ask Marc Savard what he considers reckless. I don't think his answer will surprise anyone.