Blues' Lapierre suspended pending hearing
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - St. Louis Blues forward Maxim Lapierre has been suspended pending an in-person hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety for a hit Tuesday that left Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle in a hospital.
The date and time of Lapierre's hearing has yet to be determined, the NHL said on Wednesday. In-person hearings are required by the collective bargaining agreement for any suspension that could exceed five games.
Boyle was kept overnight at a St. Louis hospital but has said he's "OK" after the scary hit. The Sharks said Boyle was returning to San Jose Wednesday "to continue his medical care and undergo further evaluation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lapierre drove his stick into Boyle's upper back, sending him face-first into the glass early in the first period of San Jose's 6-2 win. Boyle remained on the ice for several minutes before he was taken off on a stretcher.
In a text exchange with a San Jose Mercury News reporter, Boyle said he was "OK" and called the incident "scary."
"Hopefully the symptoms will be very minor if any going forward," Boyle wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lapierre drew a five-minute major for checking from behind, a fighting major after an ensuing altercation and was ejected from the game.