The NHL suspended Ottawa Senators defenseman Matt Carkner for one game on Sunday following an incident that took place during the first period of their Game 2 win in New York.

In the words of Brendan Shanahan, Carker "was assessed an instigator penalty, a fighting major, and a game misconduct for being the aggressor in an altercation with an unwilling opponent."

That unwilling opponent was Rangers forward Brian Boyle, and it all took place as a response to a play in Game 1 that involved Boyle and Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson.

Here is the rest of Shanahan's explanation.



Now that the NHL has handed out three suspensions over the past couple of days -- and could have more coming -- it's once again worth asking how Nashville's Shea Weber received only a $2,500 fine for his hit on Henrik Zetterberg last Wednesday.

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