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| quote: | Originally posted by L.E.N.
I thought I saw that bite but the TV was muted at the bar so I wasnt sure what I saw.
Sucks that they let him keep playing...any word on a NHL fine? |
Exclusive: Ruutu suspended two games
Wednesday, 01.07.2009 / 3:00 PM / News
By NHL.com Staff
Ottawa's Jarkko Ruutu has been suspended for two games by the NHL for a biting incident that occurred in Tuesday night's loss to Buffalo.
Ruutu was suspended after a Wednesday morning's disciplinary hearing with NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell, a phone conversation between the two parties that began at 11:30 a.m.
In Tuesday's incident, Ruutu bit the gloved thumb of Buffalo's Andrew Peters, breaking the skin's surface, during a first-period altercation.
"It's a pretty goofy thing that happened," said Peters, who had a bandage wrapped around his right thumb after the game. "It's not the injury, it's the incident."
He will miss Thursday's game against Boston, the Northeast Division leader, and Saturday's home game against the New York Rangers.
It is the second time this season that Ruutu has been suspended this season. On Nov. 12, Ruutu earned a two-game ban for an elbow he delivered to the head of Montreal's Maxim Lapierre in a Nov. 11 game.
According to replays of the most recent incident, the skirmish started with Peters rubbing his glove in Ruutu's face as the play moved up ice. Then, Ruutu used his mouth to remove Peters' glove from his right hand. Peters immediately retreated to the Buffalo bench, holding his thumb, as trainers tended to the injury.
Peters, who sported a bandage on his thumb after the game, was assessed a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play by the refereeing tandem of Mike Hasenfratz and Frederick L'Ecuyer.
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