Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome has been suspended four games for his late hit that left Boston Bruins forward Nathan Horton with a severe concussion.
"Two factors were considered in reaching this decision," NHL senior vice-president of hockey operations Mike Murphy said.
"The hit by Rome was clearly beyond what is acceptable in terms of how late it was delivered after Horton had released the puck and it caused a significant injury."
Horton will miss the rest of the Stanley Cup finals, his team announced Tuesday.
Horton was carried off the ice on a stretcher and sent to hospital in the first period of Game 3 on Monday night. Boston won 8-1.
Rome was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit, in which he lowered his shoulder into an unsuspecting Horton nearly a second after the Bruins forward passed off the puck in the neutral zone.
The four-game suspension is the sternest-ever to be handed out in a Stanley Cup final series.
Horton remained in hospital overnight and was reportedly knocked unconscious by the hit. The team said he was alert and moving all extremities.
Horton, an offensive leader for the Bruins who scored winning goals in two Game 7 wins this year, was released from hospital Tuesday.
"We have to deal with it and we have to find a way to rally around it," said Boston forward Milan Lucic. "I think everyone needs to step up and do a little bit more."
The Canucks, however, thought the suspension was overly harsh. Coach Alain Vigneault said that the penalty was "not the right call" and his players agreed.
"We totally disagree (with the suspension)," said star Canucks forward Daniel Sedin. "We support Rome. He's a hard-working guy. He has no intention to hurt anyone out there."
Still, much attention has been placed on blindside hits to the head in the NHL in the last few seasons, following a rash of concussions to prominent players. The league agreed to implement a new penalty for blindside hits this season.
Game 4 of the series is scheduled for Wednesday night in Boston. Vancouver leads the series 2-1.
Horton was Boston's second-leading scorer in the playoffs with 17 points. His goal was the lone marker in Boston's 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
But the suspension could mark a change in the NHL's culture. Recently, Colin Campbell left his job as chief NHL disciplinarian after 14 years, and he will be replaced by former player Brendan Shanahan next year.
