Flyers' Jones suspended for Bergeron hit

Last Updated: Monday, October 29, 2007 | 3:35 PM ET

CBC Sports

Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Randy Jones was suspended for two games by the NHL on Monday for his hit on Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron over the weekend.

League disciplinarian Colin Campbell said he didn't believe Jones intended to injure Bergeron when he drove him into the boards from behind during the first period of Philadelphia's 2-1 win Saturday night in Boston, but that the Flyers defenceman delivered a "hard check to a player who was in a vulnerable position."

Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron was removed from the ice on a stretcher after being hit into the boards from behind by the Flyers' Randy Jones.
(Michael Dwyer/Associated Press)

Bergeron was rendered unconscious by the hit and had to be removed from the ice on a stretcher. The Bruins' second-leading scorer was later diagnosed with a concussion and a broken nose.

The 22-year-old was released from Massachusetts General Hospital on Sunday, and a team doctor said tests didn't show any other serious injuries to his head or neck. Bergeron is out of the lineup indefinitely.

"Words can't express the way I feel right now," Jones, 26, said in a statement released by the Flyers.

"I am very apologetic for the hit and what I did. It wasn't intentional, it's something I have never done before, it is not part of my character."

Boston coach Claude Julien called it "a dirty hit."

"I'm not saying [Jones] is a dirty player, all I'm saying is it was a dirty hit. We'll just have to let the league take care of it … and hopefully they will," Julien said.

"This is the third major incident that club's had in 10 games. It's something that has to be addressed there."

The Flyers have had three players suspended in a little over a month. Steve Downie received a 20-game suspension for running Ottawa's Dean McAmmond in the pre-season while Jesse Boulerice was banned for 25 games after cross-checking Vancouver's Ryan Kesler in the face three weeks ago.