Graves Suspended for Four Games

New York Ranger center Adam Graves was suspended for four games Friday for slashing Pittsburgh Penguin star Mario Lemieux in Game 2 of the Patrick Division finals.

The suspension, announced in Toronto by NHL Vice President Brian O’Neill after a 15-minute hearing earlier in the day in Pittsburgh, suspends Graves for the rest of the Ranger-Penguin series.

Lemieux sustained a broken bone in his left hand and is out indefinitely, leaving the defending Stanley Cup champions without the league’s leading scorer. He is expected to miss the rest of the series.

Before the hearing, Graves had played Game 3 of the series, scoring the first goal in the Rangers’ 6-5 overtime victory.

Graves was contrite and apologetic at a brief news conference.

“I never want to go through this again. Never,” Graves said. “I’d never wish it on my worst enemy. I don’t think anything negative toward the Pittsburgh fans at all. If I was a fan, I’d be angry, too.”