NEW YORK, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The National Hockey League announced Thursday Buffalo's John Scott would be suspended for seven games due to an illegal check to the head.
Scott received a match penalty for the hit on Boston's Loui Eriksson during the third period of a 5-2 win for the Bruins on Oct. 23.
A decision on Scott's punishment was not announced until he had met with members of the NHL's department of player safety. Scott was actually handed a 10-game suspension, but Buffalo has played three games since the hit and he missed all of those contests.
Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's vice president of player safety, issued a statement explaining the league's decision.
"After Eriksson has already dumped the puck on the forecheck, Scott cuts across Eriksson and delivers a shoulder to the head, making it the main point of contact and causing a serious injury," Shanahan said.
"Although this is not an elbow to the head, the follow-through that occurs after contact indicates to us a significant level of force was delivered on this illegal check to the head. On this play, the onus is entirely on Scott to ensure that Eriksson's head is not the main point of contact on any hit he chooses to make."
Eriksson was hospitalized after the hit. He was diagnosed with a concussion and will out indefinitely.
