The Boston Bruins are in Ottawa tonight to face the Senators, and already have lost one of their young players to injury. Urho Vaakanainen has been ruled out of the game with a concussion, after taking an elbow from defenseman Mark Borowiecki in front of the net. Vaakanainen was coming in to try and shovel a loose puck into the net when Borowiecki extended his arm to try and keep him away from goaltender Craig Anderson.
Vaakanainen was playing in just the second NHL game of his career after being recalled on an emergency basis, but will likely be out for at least a few days now while he deals with the head injury. In the meantime, the Department of Player Safety is surely looking at the play and will decide tomorrow whether to have a hearing with Borowiecki for possible supplementary discipline.
The 19-year old Bruins defenseman was the 18th-overall pick in 2017, and is a very promising prospect that could make their blue line one of the most dangerous in the league over the next few years. Borowiecki meanwhile was recently involved in a questionable incident of his own, one in which he though Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens should have faced some supplementary discipline. His public critique of the DoPS likely won’t buy him any favors.