Vote: Will Andrew Ference Be Suspended for Hit on Rangers’ Ryan McDonagh?

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Jan 21, 2012

Vote: Will Andrew Ference Be Suspended for Hit on Rangers' Ryan McDonagh?Andrew Ference's intent clearly wasn't to injure Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh on Saturday, but his overtime hit left the 22-year-old shaken up, and has created debate as to whether supplemental discipline will handed down.

Ference received a charging major and a game misconduct for his hit on McDonagh, which occurred with 3:10 left in overtime. The Rangers ended up capitalizing on their power-play opportunity, as Marian Gaborik netted the game-winner with 3.6 seconds remaining.

Ference drilled McDonagh into the boards behind the Rangers net. The Bruins defenseman was coming with so much speed that it was nearly impossible for him to let up.

"Obviously I was going as fast as I can to try to get to the puck," Ference said of the play after the game. "When I realized I wasn't going to get there first, he boxed me out, I tried to lean back but I was going too fast. Obviously it was a dangerous position. I tried to let up, but didn't let up enough fast enough."

A number of Bruins players have had hearings with league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan already this season, including Brad Marchand, who just recently finished up a five-game suspension that was the result of his controversial hit on Canucks defenseman Sami Salo. Ference doesn't have a track record quite like Marchand's, though, so that could work in his favor when the hit is reviewed.

Ference said he didn't mean to cause any harm to McDonagh, but he understands that the league will review the hit. Defenseman Steven Kampfer was recalled from Providence after the game and will accompany the Bruins to Philadelphia as we wait and see if Ference will face a ban.

Check out the hit in the video below, and then share your thoughts.

Will Andrew Ference be suspended for his hit on Ryan McDonagh?

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