Rangers lose Boyle to concussion on Neil hit

Another playoff game, another ruling needed from Brendan Shanahan.

The NHL's vice president of player safety has another incident to review from this Rangers-Senators series and this first round, with Rangers center Brian Boyle out with a concussion after taking a shoulder to the head from Ottawa's Chris Neil in the third period of Saturday night's 2-0 victory by the Senators in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

Boyle cut across the ice inside the Senators' zone looking to make a play when Neil caught him with a shoulder to the head. Boyle got up slowly and skated to the bench the same way. He played one more shift before leaving with what John Tortorella said was a concussion.

"He's concussed. He's out," Tortorella said. "There's a blueprint [for this] -- it's the exact same as the [Raffi] Torres hit [on Marian Hossa on Tuesday], just at a different point on the ice. The blueprint's there. I'm sure [Neil] is a repeat offender. There's not much research to be done there."

As it happens, Neil, the very physical Senators forward in his 10th season, has never been suspended. But as Shanahan has shown, this is not the postseason for borderline hits.

Just Saturday morning, Shanahan had announced a 25-game suspension for Coyotes forward Torres for his hit to the head on the Blackhawks' Hossa.

Shanahan also has issued two suspensions in the Rangers-Senators series, both from Game 2.

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Hagelin's hit, which left Alfredsson with a concussion that has kept him out since that game, drew a major for elbowing. Neil's hit Saturday nightdrew no penalty from on-ice officials Marc Joannette and Brian Pochmara, even though the point of contact was Boyle's head.

"The hit was clean," Neil said. "He got up, finished the game. When you're cutting across the middle with your head down, you've got to expect to be hit."

Boyle was not available for comment. Because of his concussion, he is likely to miss Monday night's Game 6 in Ottawa.

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There was no word from the NHL as of late Saturday night as to whether Neil will have a disciplinary hearing on Sunday.