Senators LW Ruutu suspended two games

Jan 7, 2009 - 8:46 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Ottawa Senators left wing Jarkko Ruutu will have to sink his teeth into a two-game suspension.

The suspension handed down by the NHL on Wednesday comes one day after Ruutu was involved in an incident in which he apparently bit the right thumb of Buffalo's Andrew Peters. The altercation took place in the first period of the Sabres' 4-2 victory.

Ruutu will miss Thursday's game at Boston and Saturday's contest against the New York Rangers.

After getting suspended for two games in November, he is now considered a repeat offender under terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

Accordingly, he forfeits $31,707.32 in salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (186).

Peters was wearing his glove when the incident occurred, but the alleged bite pulled the glove off his hand, and he immediately grasped his thumb in pain and skated away.

Television replays clearly showed Ruutu - at the very least - using his teeth to pull off Peters' glove. The broadcast also showed Peters pleading with officials and yelling toward the Ottawa bench, "He (expletive) bit me."

Ruutu, who was not penalized, denied biting Peters and instead pointed out that he was the victim of an eye gouge from Peters during the fray.

"(Claiming I bit him) was a way for him to try and draw a penalty," Ruutu said. "Nothing happened there."

Peters, who said Ruutu broke through the skin with the bite, was wearing a bandage after the game.