Ovechkin suspended 2 games for hit on Campbell

Is Alex Ovechkin a dirty player in addition to being one of hockey's greatest stars?

That debate was raging around the NHL on Monday in the aftermath of Ovechkin shoving Brian Campbell into the boards from behind Sunday at the United Center that left the Blackhawks defenseman with a broken collarbone and possible fractured ribs.

The league left no doubt Monday it felt the hit was dirty by suspending Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals' two-time league MVP, for two games.

It's the second suspension for Ovechkin this season.

"Ovechkin, who was suspended for two games on Nov. 30, 2009, now is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the collective-bargaining agreement," the NHL said in a statement.

Campbell will miss at least the final 15 games of the regular season and could be sidelined for the playoffs as well.

The Hawks on Monday did not confirm the seriousness of Campbell's injury. A team spokesman said Campbell underwent a further examination Monday and that there would be an update provided by the club Tuesday.

The Hawks have placed defenseman Nick Boynton on re-entry waivers for the purpose of recalling him from Rockford to replace the injured Campbell.

Boynton, acquired from Anaheim on March 2 for future considerations, would need to clear waivers to be eligible to play for the Hawks on Wednesday against the Ducks at Honda Center.

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman declined interview requests Monday to discuss the Campbell situation. The Capitals, however, complained that suspending Ovechkin for two games was too severe a punishment.

"We have no problem with the way Alex tried to finish his check," Washington GM George McPhee said in a statement. "Unfortunately, an injury resulted. We are disappointed with the suspension but do not want to comment further."

Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau, during an interview with The Washington Post, came close to blaming Campbell for what happened.

"I watched (the hit) frame by frame, trying to think what they would think," Boudreau told the Post. "If you look at it, (Campbell's) skates were parallel to the net. Once Campbell dishes it off, he knows Alex is there. He doesn't hit him; he pushes him. As he's going it looked to me like (Campbell's) left leg stumbled and he almost toe-picked the ice.

"He's one of the greatest skaters in the game," Boudreau said of Campbell. "He's stayed healthy because he's able to avoid this. I'm sure he thought he was going to spin off it. Alex pushed him. He pushed him. If he doesn't fall awkwardly into the boards, a) Is it a penalty? b) Are we having this discussion?

"Alex is so much stronger than everyone else. So we're penalizing him for being strong."

Ovechkin earned a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for the hit on Campbell, who was a few feet from the boards and without the puck when Ovechkin shoved him hard from behind.

Ovechkin is hardly new to controversy generated by his style of play, which even Boudreau described as reckless several months ago.

This season alone Ovechkin has been suspended for two games for kneeing Carolina's Tim Gleason, ejected but not suspended for sending Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta into the boards face first, and fined $2,500 for a slew foot against Atlanta's Rich Peverley.

Last season in the playoffs Ovechkin went knee to knee with Pittsburgh's Sergei Gonchar, knocking the Penguins' star defenseman out of that series for several games.

Ovechkin also once delivered a hit on Tampa Bay's Jamie Heward that saw Heward taken from the ice on a stretcher. Heward later called the hit an accident.

Even after his coach advised him to tone it down on the ice, Ovechkin blew it off, just like Sunday when he said he did nothing to Campbell that deserved a major penalty and game misconduct.

"Why do I have to listen to somebody who say, 'Hey, you have to change your game,' and 'Somebody is going to kill you?' " Ovechkin said in December. "Well, nobody is going to kill me. I just play my game and I just enjoy my time and I enjoy my life. It's me, and it is what it is."

The Hawks flew to California late Monday afternoon and did not practice. They could be down two of their top six defensemen for Wednesday's game with Kim Johnsson questionable with an upper-body injury.

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