Islanders' Colin McDonald suspended for two games

Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

New York Islanders forward Colin McDonald was suspended for two games on Wednesday for a hit from behind the night before on Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy.

McDonald had received a boarding major and a game misconduct for the hit at 18:54 of the second period. He will forfeit $7,567.56 in pay for what the NHL called a reckless hit.

McDonald pushed at Lovejoy on Tuesday night as the two skated toward the puck behind the Penguins' goal line, then as Lovejoy touched the puck, McDonald drove him hard into the boards from behind.

"The key factor for us elevating this penalty to a suspension are a combination of the length of time that McDonald sees Lovejoy's numbers and the degree of force with which McDonald hits right through his opponent," NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan said in his explanatory video.

Lovejoy got up relatively quickly and played during the third period.

McDonald, who played for the Penguins organization last season, had no previous disciplinary history. Before the ejection, he had four penalty minutes in 12 career NHL games.

This was the second suspension of the NHL season. Philadelphia Flyers forward Brayden Schenn got one game last week for a charging infraction against New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov.

Last season, Shanahan handed out 56 suspensions in the regular season and playoffs during his first year on the job.

Though Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta was injured during a boarding infraction on Tuesday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs' Mike Brown didn't face a hearing because Kaleta had turned at the last minute and Brown didn't drive through him on the play.

Kaleta was taken to the hospital for X-rays on his neck and further tests. He was released on Wednesday and won't be accompanying the Sabres to Boston.