Ottawa Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki said Thursday he respects the decision by the NHL's Department of Player Safety to suspend him for one game, but believes the ban means there is now precedent moving forward across the league.

Borowiecki received the suspension for his elbow to the head of Boston Bruins rookie defenceman Urho Vaakanainen in the first period of Tuesday's 4-1 loss. 

"One thing coming out of this play is that a precedent has been set," Borowiecki said Thursday. "If there's a net-front battle and one of my forwards takes one in the chops, I 100 per cent expect there to be a call. That's the precedent that's been set. (If) you want to get that out of the game, that's great, but it needs to be called all around and I think that's something to keep an eye on."

Vaakanainen sustained a concussion on the play, but Borowiecki said there was no intent to injure on his part.

"I want to make it clear and I said to (head of player safety George Parros) yesterday, there was absolutely zero intent injure there, I was not intentionally targeting the head in any way," the defenceman said. "It's a reactionary play. bouncing puck in front of the net, defenceman coming in quick, coming in hot (and) I just tried to get my arm up to seal the front of the net and block him off and unfortunately I caught him high. I feel bad about it, but it is what it is at this point."

Borowiecki argued that in slow motion the elbow looked more intentional than the action was, calling the play an "unfortunate accident." He added he skated to the Bruins' bench to apologize to Vaakanainen after the incident and also apologized to Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who Borowiecki said accepted his explanation.

"I've been through some really trying, dark times with head injuries and that was one thing that I expressed to George yesterday," Borowiecki said. "I've been through some tough, tough times with head stuff and stuff that a lot of people don't know about and I would never wish that upon anyone - especially a young defenceman trying to come into this league. That's not what I'm about and I would never want him to experience what I've had to go through and I feel terrible about it."

Borowiecki will miss Friday night's contest against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver. He will be eligible to return in time for a date against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

In eight games this season, Borowiecki is averaging 17:32 a night.