Calgary Flames lose veteran forward Rene Bourque to two-game suspension -NHL Update
Things did not look good for Brent Seabrook after being hit in the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames matchup on Sunday, December 18, 2011, when he fell down, lifeless on the ice following a blindsided hit into the sideboards, but for Rene Bourque, the veteran forward who hit him, rumours of a suspension being announced were in the air instantly.
That is exactly what happened as the National Hockey League’s (NHL) senior vice president for player safety and hockey operations, Brendan Shanahan, made the announcement less than a day later on Monday, December 19, 2011, in which Bourque was suspended for the next two games for the check.
Replaying the hit, Shanahan describes the hit as purely intentional without lessening the force in anyway despite the opportunity to do so being there.
"Seabrook is neither falling nor turning to any degree that would absolve Bourque of responsibility," said Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's head of discipline. "The onus is on Bourque to avoid this hit completely or at the very least minimize it when he sees an opponent in this vulnerable position along the boards."
The hit was made with less than five minutes to go in the Calgary vs. Chicago matchup which resulted in him being penalised with a major penalty and a game misconduct. Bourque, an undrafted player from Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada, will lose a little over $30,000 in his salary, which will be added to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Calgary on the other hand, will also being playing without Matt Stajan, who went out due to an ankle surgery when he collided into the boards. He is not expected to be playing with the Flames in their next matchup against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.
Brent Seabrook was also reported to have gone out with an undisclosed upper-body injury, the news about whether he will play in the upcoming contests or not is yet to be announced by the Blackhawks.
Rene Bourque will be missing the game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday and the one on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings making him eligible to make a return the very next day on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks.
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