Flyers’ Giroux Suspended One Game for Hit on Devils’ Zubrus

Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux, the leading scorer in this year’s National Hockey League playoffs, was suspended one game for a check to the head of New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus in a 4-2 loss to the Devils yesterday.

The action against Giroux, 24, was announced today by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety in e-mailed release. The teams play Game 5 tomorrow in Philadelphia. New Jersey leads the best- of-seven second-round series 3-1.

Giroux skated in front of Zubrus with six seconds remaining in the second period and hit the New Jersey player in the jaw with his shoulder. Zubrus had already played the puck forward and Giroux was given a two-minute penalty on the play.

An All-Star the past two seasons, Giroux had 28 goals and 65 assists this year, finishing third in the NHL with 93 regular-season points. He has 17 points in the playoffs, including two goals and an assist against the Devils.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eben Novy-Williams in New York at enovywilliam@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net