James Neal suspended for 5 games

The wheels of justice have turned and James Neal will sit for the next five games.

NHL sentences Neal for knee to the head. RT "@LavoieRenaud: James Neal suspension: 5 games. #nhl #penguins"

— Yahoo Sports NHL (@YahooSportsNHL) December 9, 2013

Neal will be out for tonight's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and will not be eligible to return until the 12/19 game against the Minnesota Wild.

Neal sparked a brawl when he went out of his way to knee a fallen Brad Marchand in the head. Neal had been suspended in the past, as a Penguin in 2012 for Game 4 of the Flyers playoff game for his head-hit on Claude Giroux.

Frankly, there's no place for what Neal did, he clearly saw that Marchand was in a vulnerable position and skated right into him. It's not worth delving into if Neal intended to hurt him or not, and it really doesn't matter the intent anyways - the action was inexcusable and a piss-poor thing to do.

And now because of it, one of the Penguins best players has put himself on the shelf for the next 5 games.

Shawn Thornton of the Bruins will have an in person hearing, and is expecting a 5+ game suspension for his attack on Brooks Orpik.

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