Per tsn.com, Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton has been suspended for 15 games for an incident against Brooks Orpik and the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 7. Thornton pulled Orpik to the ground and punched the defenseman while he was defenseless on the ice. Orpik was eventually carted off the ice on a stretcher.
The Penguins defenseman suffered a concussion but was back on the ice today, for the first time since the incident, according to the Penguins official Twitter account.
After the game Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com tweeted:
Shawn Thornton in near tears after game: "I made a mistake. I can't say I'm sorry enough times. That's all I can say right now" #BruinsTalk
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) December 8, 2013
Amalie Benjamin of Boston.com tweeted:
The 15 games for Thornton makes it clear Shanahan wanted to set an example. He had never had a suspension before this.
— Amalie Benjamin (@AmalieBenjamin) December 14, 2013
According to tsn.com, Orpik skated with the Penguins for the first time since the incident on Friday.
You can watch the action that led to the incident below.