The NHL handed down its longest suspension of the season on Tuesday, giving Tampa Bay Lightning enforcer Andre Roy 13 games for his actions in Monday's 6-4 loss to the New York Rangers.

Roy, 27, will sit out Tampa Bay's final seven regular season games plus the first six of the 2002-03 campaign.

Roy was suspended for leaving the penalty box to join an altercation and physical abuse of an official.

Andre Roy, right, was suspended 13 games by the NHL.(CP Photo)

The incident occurred midway through the third period.

After fighting with New York's Sandy McCarthy, Roy left the penalty box and skated back out on the ice to fight McCarthy again.

In the process, Roy threw aside lineman Lyle Seitz, who was attempting to restrain him.

Roy received two game misconducts as a result.

Abusing an official carries an automatic three-game suspension.

After reviewing the videotape of the incident, the NHL ruled that Roy left the penalty bench with the intent of joining an altercation.

That's an automatic 10-game suspension under NHL's Rule 72b.

Both Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks and Adam Mair of the Los Angeles Kings were given 10-game suspensions for leaving the player's bench earlier this season.