Off-ice incident in Game 4 nets Carcillo 2-game suspension

The Philadelphia Flyers' season came to an end 11 days ago and that's how long it's taken for the NHL to announce a suspension for Dan Carcillo.

Carcillo has been banned from the first two games of the 2011-12 regular season after conduct towards the officials between periods of Game 4 against the Boston Bruins.

From the NHL:

National �Hockey �League �Senior �Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy reached the decision following a hearing into the matter on May 13. �The hearing was conducted pursuant to article 18.1 (on-ice discipline) and �18.2 �(off-ice discipline) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, NHL By-Law �17 and Article 6 of the NHL Constitution as a result of an incident outside �of �the �officials' �locker �room following the first period and a verbal confrontation with linesman Brian Murphy at the players' bench prior to the start of the second period.

"Between �the �first and second period, while off ice and outside the officials' �locker �room, �Mr. �Carcillo engaged in aggressive behavior and inappropriate �conduct �directed at the officials," said Murphy. "While Mr. Carcillo acknowledged in the hearing that he regrets his actions outside of the officials' room, there can be no defense for his conduct.

"I �also �reviewed �the �verbal �confrontation �between �Carcillo and linesman �Brian �Murphy �at �the �players' �bench prior to the start of the second �period �and �have �determined that, while the verbal abuse may have been worthy of a penalty, there is no evidence that Carcillo's action merit supplemental discipline," concluded Murphy.

Carcillo will serve the two-game suspension as either a member of the Flyers or a new team given his restricted free agent status this summer. He was called for cross-checking penalties in the first and second periods of Game 4, with the first resulting in a Boston power-play goal en route to its 5-1 series-clinching win.

Of course, one could put on the tinfoil hat and believe that the suspension could really be for�Carcillo's infamous tweet from last Friday night (NSFW unless you work in the porn industry or have a really laid back boss). Considering the James Wisniewski suspension and social media talk at the GMs meetings this year, it'll be interesting to see how the NHL handles players using social media over the next couple of years.

But while the timing of the suspension announcement seems odd, the NHL was in no rush to deliver a decision with the Flyers' season coming to an end that night.

Calgary Flames Toronto FC Newcastle United Leicester City San Jose Sharks