Maple Leafs D Van Ryn leaves game

Nov 9, 2008 - 5:13 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn left Saturday's 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in the first period after he was on the receiving end of a hit from Tom Kostopoulos and did not return.

As Van Ryn went to play the puck behind the net, Kostopoulos checked him from behind, sending the blue-liner face-first into the end boards.

Van Ryn collapsed to the ice and was bleeding from his head. He was helped off the ice and sent to the locker room.

Toronto coach Ron Wilson said that Van Ryn has a broken nose, a cut on his face and a broken pinkie on his left hand.

Kostopoulos was given a five-minute boarding penalty and a game misconduct.

"I hope Mike Van Ryn doesn't think I did that on purpose," Kostopoulos said. "I was just going in after the puck and didn't anticipate him turning. I wasn't trying to hurt him or hit him that way. I don't play dirty, I just try to finish my check and play hard."

"We've got to find a way to get these head shots and some of the hits from behind out of the game," Wilson said. "You can't say players shouldn't turn. His job is to go back and get the puck, and it's the responsibility of the guy coming into him to see if the guy is vulnerable and not take advantage of that. The league will look at it. When there is an injury, they always do."

Toronto's Matt Stajan did not mince words when asked if the league should suspend Kostopoulos.

"I hope so," Stajan said. "(Van Ryn) was in a position where he couldn't defend himself, and he went for the puck and took a shot in the head from behind. I know Tom and I know he isn't a dirty player, but he made a bad decision, and now it's up to the league to decide what happens."