The Ottawa Senators may have won the game on Tuesday, but they may lose forward Alex Burrows for some time.
Burrows appeared to knee Taylor Hall in the back of the head twice during the second period of Ottawa's 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. The players had both fallen to the ice during a skirmish, with Burrows landing on top of the Devils forward. The Senators' veteran then appeared to use his right knee to strike the back of Hall's head twice before being pulled away by officials.
Closer look at the knee pic.twitter.com/836fZAeoxY
— John Smith (@HabsCorner) February 7, 2018
Burrows was given a roughing penalty on the play, and Hall scored on the resulting Devils power play.
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Hall told Devils beat reporter Amanda Stein that he was unaware Burrows had used a knee to strike him until later told by teammates.
#NJDevils: Taylor Hall on Burrows: “He punched me in the back of the head like 10 times. He kind of lost his mind.”
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) February 7, 2018
Hall told me after he didn’t know it was Burrows’ knee in his head. He just felt something and his teammates told him afterwards it was the knee.
Devils head coach John Hynes had few words to describe Burrows' conduct.
#NJDevils Coach John Hynes on Sens Alex Burrows: “He is what he is.”
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) February 7, 2018
Ottawa's win was its third in four games in February.
UPDATE: According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, Burrows has been offered an in-person hearing by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, meaning a suspension of six or more games can be levied.
Word out of OTT is that Burrows has been offered an in-person hearing with @NHLPlayerSafety. No word yet on whether Burrows will accept the offer or waive his right and do it by phone.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 7, 2018