Maxim Lapierre suspended for 5 games

As many expected, Maxim Lapierre has been suspended by the NHL for five games. Lapierre threw a dangerous check at Dan Boyle which caused the San Jose defenseman's face and head to collide awkwardly into the boards. Boyle needed a stretcher to leave the ice. 

Here's the video from the NHL about the five-game sentence:

No real surprise here. Once it was revealed Lapierre was going to have an in-person hearing you knew it'd probably be five games. Lapierre has a somewhat colorful history in the NHL and it's fair to assume his history as a pest in the league played a role in how everyone analyzed this hit. 

As I discussed shortly after the hit, Lapierre needed to be benched even if he somehow managed to escape NHL punishment. The new addition has cost the Blues two, potentially three goals and has yet to make a positive impression.