Brooks Orpik was stretchered off the ice in the first period of Saturday’s game between his Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins.
Orpik was grabbed by Bruins’ enforcer Shawn Thornton, taken down to the ice and punched in the head, including when the Penguins’ defenseman was on the ice. The incident occurred during a scrum, after Penguins’ forward James Neal had been called for kneeing.
On the first shift of the game, Orpik delivered a hard open-ice hit on Bruins’ forward Loui Eriksson, who left the game and will not be returning. Thornton challenged Orpik to a fight immediately after his hit on Eriksson, and Orpik continued with his shift.
Thornton received a match penalty, and could be facing further disciplinary action from the National Hockey League.
Scary stuff here in Boston. Orpik about to be carted off ice after Shawn Thornton punched him clean to the head while Orpik was on ice.
— Rob Rossi (@Real_RobRossi) December 8, 2013
Thornton knocks Orpik to ice, begins punching him in head when he's down. Orpik will be leaving ice on stretcher.
— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPGH) December 8, 2013
Just saw a replay. Shawn Thornton yanked Orpik to the ice and then punched him twice in the head when he was down. Knocked him out cold
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) December 8, 2013