Devils’ Volchenkov suspended 4 games for elbow to head of Bruins’ Marchand

Anton Volchenkov was given a five-minute major and tossed from the Wednesday night's game versus the Boston Bruins after delivering a nasty elbow to the head of Brad Marchand, and on Thursday, the Shanaban-hammer came down on the Devils' defenceman with the force of Mjölnir.

For his actions, Volchenkov has been suspended an additional four games. Here's Brendan Shanahan explaining why, if "he elbowed a guy in the head" doesn't explain it quite thoroughly enough for you.

"Rather than make a full body check, Volchenkov extends his left elbow, making significant contact to the side of Marchand's head."

Yeah, you can't do that.

But it's worse for Volchenkov than just delivering an illegal elbow. As Shanahan explains, Marchand stops and turns away from the hit in an effort to avoid contact. Then he gives us the part that best explains why Volchenkov got four for this:

"If anything," he says, "Marchand's actions prior to contact force Volchenkov to extend his elbow even further."

If there's one thing that's going to get you dinged by the DOPS Cops, it's being caught making the extra effort to dirty up your hit, and that's what Shanahan and co. saw here. Add that damning interpretation of the hit to the fact that Marchand left the game with an injury and four games sounds about right.

It could have been worse, too. Shanahan points out at the end of the video that, despite a 2011 suspension, Volchenkov is not classified as a repeat offender under the new CBA. Had he been, this suspension may have been preceded by an in-person hearing.