The NHL has given two games to Jarkko Ruutu for acquiring a taste for Buffalo last night. From the League:
Ottawa Senators forward Jarkko Ruutu has been suspended for two games, without pay, for an incident in NHL game #586 against the Buffalo Sabres, the National Hockey League announced today.
Ruutu, who was suspended for two games in November, now is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits $31,707.32 in salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (186). The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.
Ruutu was involved in an altercation with Sabres' Andrew Peters at 13:13 of the first period. No penalty was assessed on the play. Ruutu will miss Thursday's game at Boston and Jan. 10 against the Rangers. He will be eligible to return Jan. 13 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Ruutu gets double the suspension Marc Savard received when he bit Darcy Tucker back in 2003, which is understandable given Ruutu's suspension history. And because Peters is a more substantial meal than Tucker.
This suspension will no doubt draw comparisons to the Sean Avery suspension, because the NHL has begged for them to be made by intervening into what should have been a Dallas team disciplinary matter. Keep in mind there are two significant differences in this case: First, that Ruutu didn't make a sex joke after munching on another man's digit; and second, that Gary Bettman's daughter understands how teeth work and hence he wouldn't be forced to explain anything embarrassing to her. That last point is apparently quite important when the League hands out punishment.
Finally, what better way to celebrate this suspension than with a cheesy Hall and Oates parody song from The Howard Simon Show in Buffalo, right?
