The Boston Bruins will have to do without Milan Lucic for Game 3 of their series with the Canadiens after the NHL handed the bruising forward a one-game suspension Sunday.
Lucic received a minor and match penalty for crosschecking Montreal's Maxim Lapierre in the neck and head late in the third period of Boston's 5-1 win over the Canadiens.
In an attempt to avoid losing one of their emotional sparkplugs the submitted a video clip to NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell that they believed showed Lucic's gloved hand striking Lapierre's neck and head before his stick.
"While it is unclear whether Lucic's glove or stick makes contact with Lapierre, what is clear is that he delivered a reckless and forceful blow to the head of his opponent," said Campbell in a statement.
A Vancouver native, Lucic has been a physical force in the series thus far. He has been credited with eight hits, including a couple of momentum changers in Game 1, and has racked up a playoff high 24 minutes in penalties. He has also collected a pair of assists and a +2 rating.
He will be eligible to return for Game 4 on Wednesday in Montreal.