Bruins forward Zac Rinaldo will not be further disciplined for his hit last night on Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier.
Rinaldo received a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct for the hit, which occurred at the end of the first period.
While the NHL supports the call that was made on the ice, it believes that that was punishment enough, citing four reasons:
- It was not elbowing.
- It was not interference.
- It was not an illegal check to the head.
- It was not charging “for the purposes of supplemental discipline.”
In supporting its fourth reason, the NHL deemed that Rinaldo did “not launch into Couturier in an excessive manner. His body stays low and there is no significant gap between his skates and the ice.”
Couturier did not return for the final two periods. The Flyers said he left with an upper-body injury. He is considered day-to-day.
Per #Flyers GM Ron Hextall: F Sean Couturier and G Michal Neuvirth are day-to-day with upper-body injuries.
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 22, 2015