NHL's director of player safety Brendan Shanahan handed down a one game suspension to Capitals' Nick Backstrom for his high cross check on Bruins' Rich Peverley. It actually was not a handed suspension, but the league allowed the match penalty to continue with it's automatic one game sit out. In other words, the league agreed with the referee's assertion that the cross check was worthy of the given match penalty.
What is done, is done. Backstrom will sit out for an important game four where the Caps will try to salvage the home stand to tie up the Series. The Caps though have been without Backstrom for three of four games against the Bruins in the regular season. They won all three.
The loss of an elite player like Backstrom dies force the role players to step their game up. While we talk about Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin stepping up their efforts in this series, we tend to lose sight of others like Matty Perreault, Jason Chimera and Marcus Johansson all have to take their games to the next level.
If the Caps hope to have a chance to take this series, they have to stick to what got them there. And that includes support players adding to the collective. It will have to happen as offensive weapons are being taken away by solid Bruins' defense and the League Brass.
Jeff Halpern is the likely replacement for Backstrom. The lines will change up a bit because of the one game penalty.
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