Neil's hit on Rangers' Boyle irks Tortorella

Neil's hit on Rangers' Boyle irks Tortorella

Bill Kostroun/AP

Rangers will likely be without Brian Boyle after this hit that has John Tortorella steaming.

While the Senators delivered a body blow to the Rangers Saturday night, Chris Neil went after their head.

The Ottawa forward lined up Rangers center Brian Boyle with 14:39 remaining in the third period, and with the puck gone, Neil rose and threw his shoulder into Boyles face. Boyle played just three more shifts, did come back onto the ice for the final 6:55, and afterward John Tortorella confirmed that Boyle had a concussion.

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That means the Rangers leading goal scorer this series and one of their best all-around postseason performers could be out for a game, the series, or maybe longer if the Rangers advance.

The hit was clean, Neil said. He got up and finished the game. When youre cutting to the middle with your head down, youve gotta expect to get hit.

Neils headshot came on the same day Coyotes forward Raffi Torres received a 25-game suspension for a similar hit on Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa. That fact was not lost on an upset Tortorella.

Well they have a blueprint, Tortorella said of the NHL. It was probably the exact same hit as Torres, different part of the ice. (He) launches himself, (its) a head shot, the pucks at the goal line when hes hit. So the blueprint's there Not too much research to be done there.