Are the Rangers and Habs gooning it up?

This is the series I expected the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins to have, but didn't. There three more hearings with the NHL's Department of Player Safety today. Shouldn't be too much longer and we will have the rulings from the league office. Suspensions are usually announced in the late afternoon after the hearings are over. This has been an emotional, hard fought series, and it's starting to show up on the score sheet.

That being said, the Rene Bourque cross check and the Derek Dorsett headbutt could end up costing both teams more games. John Moore is most definitely going to miss a game or two for his dirty hit on Dale Weise.

#nhl player security department is looking at an incident involving #canadiens Rene Bourque on Dorsett. And Dorsett headbutt too. #tvasports
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) May 28, 2014

NHL's Department of Player Safety will also be reviewing Derek Dorsett head-butting incident today.
— Katie Strang (@KatieStrangESPN) May 28, 2014

Bourque suspended five games

Former Wisconsin Badger Rene Bourque has been suspended by the NHL's Senior Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan for five games for a vicious elbow to the head of Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom this is after being suspended on December 19th by the NHL for his hit on Brent Seabrook. Apparently Bourque doesn't like playing against the Wild, because he has missed the Flames last two games against the Wild. Rene Bourque is a repeat offender and will have served a total of seven games of suspension.

NEW YORK -- Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque has been suspended for five games and will forfeit $203,252.05 in salary for delivering an elbow to the head of Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom during NHL Game #563 in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

Bourque, who was suspended last month, is classified as a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits his salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (185). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 10:06 of the third period. A minor penalty for elbowing was assessed on the play.

Bourque will miss games Jan. 5 at Boston, Jan. 7 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 10 vs. New Jersey, Jan. 12 vs. Anaheim and Jan. 14 vs. Los Angeles. He will be eligible to return Jan. 17 at San Jose.

Related articles

• Flames' Rene Bourque Suspended Five Games For Hit On Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom (tracking.si.com)
• VIDEO: Rene Bourque Suspended Five Games For Elbowing Nicklas Backstrom (dc.sbnation.com)
• Flames' Bourque suspended 5 games (cbc.ca)
• Bourque, Carcillo suspended for 'reckless' hits (thestar.com)
• Flames' Bourque suspended five games for hit (espn.go.com)

Former Badger Rene Bourque Suspended by the NHL

Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque became the second player to be suspended by the NHL today.I think the NHL's Senior Vice President of Player Safety made the right decision in this case, because Bourque hit Seabrook with a check that the league is trying to eliminate from the game.

Checking Bourque's player profile from TSN, it would appear that this is the first time that Bourque has been suspended by the NHL. In other words this isn't Matt Cooke we are talking about.

NEW YORK -- Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque has been suspended, without pay, for two games for checking Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook from behind during NHL Game #479 in Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 18, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Bourque will forfeit $36,036.04. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 15:25 of the first period. A major penalty for checking from behind and a game misconduct was assessed on the play.

Bourque will miss games Dec. 20 vs. Minnesota and Dec. 22 vs. Detroit. He will be eligible to return Dec. 23 at Vancouver.

Video: Rene Bourque boards Brent Seabrook.

Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque received a five minute major for checking from behind and a game misconduct for driving Brent Seabrook through the boards in tonight's game. Seabrook did not return to the game and suffered an upper-body injury. Former Fighting Sioux and current Blackhawk forward Jonathan Toews was less than impressed with Bourgue's hit on Seabrook.

“It comes down to respect,” Jonathan Toews said. “You hit guys when it’s a clean situation. Head shots and head injuries aren’t going anywhere if we’re going to keep making plays like that. And that goes for everybody around the entire league.”

If I was a betting man, I would say that you can expect that Rene Bourque will be receiving a phone call from the NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan for his hit on Brent Seabrook, I would also predict a suspension for the hit as well.

Related articles

• Blackhawks D Seabrook out vs. Flames with injury (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Video: Bourque tossed for boarding Seabrook (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
• Seabrook knocked out of game with upper body injury (tsn.ca)
• Blackhawks' Seabrook leaves after hit to head (espn.go.com)
• Flames' misery continues in Windy City (sports.nationalpost.com)