Bruins' DiMaio Suspended, Fined

Colin Campbell has struck again. The NHL's new director of hockey operations suspended Boston Bruins left wing Rob DiMaio two games and fined him $1,000 Wednesday for elbowing Phoenix Coyotes right wing Dallas Drake on Monday.

Campbell, who took over as dean of discipline for current Vancouver Canucks general manager Brian Burke, has handed out five suspensions already this season. Four of the penalties were results of hits to an opponent's head.

With 3:02 left in the first period, DiMaio was called for an elbowing major. Phoenix's Cliff Ronning scored the game's decisive goal just 30 seconds into the man advantage as the Coyotes went on to a 3-1 victory.

"Mr. DiMaio delivered a deliberate elbow to the face," Campbell explained. "And, while his actions did not cause an injury to his opponent, this suspension is consistent with the league's mandate to discipline players for deliberate acts directed to the head of an opponent."

"These things happen," DiMaio said after the game. "One of our guys (Dave Ellett) gets hit and there's no call and his nose is on the other side of his face. Dallas came back, he wasn't hurt. Obviously, the league is concerned with things that happen to the head. They're trying to set a precedent."

DiMaio will sit out Wednesday's game in Anaheim against the Mighty Ducks and Saturday's contest against the New Jersey Devils. The Bruins are 2-2 on a season-high seven-game road trip, which will last 14 days.

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