NHL officials say hit was delivered too late
Boston Bruins’ Nathan Horton suffered a severe concussion last night when Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome laid a massive hit on the starting forward, only five minutes into the first period. Neither player will skate again in the Stanley Cup Finals—Horton due to injury and Rome due to a 4-game suspension handed down by league officials. If the series ends before game 7, the suspension overlaps into next season. The NHL’s senior vice president of hockey operations, Mike Murphy, told the press on Tuesday that Rome’s punishment was based on two factors: the hit was delivered too late (Horton had already released the puck) and the injury that followed was very serious. Horton will end his season with 70 points, 17 of them made during the playoffs.