Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher gets five-game supsension for elbowing Adam Pelech's head

NEW YORK – Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher has been suspended five games for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech.

The NHL announced the suspension Friday after a disciplinary phone hearing with Gallagher, who was given a match penalty and ejected for hitting Pelech in the head with his right elbow midway through the third period of the teams’ game Thursday night. Pelech, who has a concussion history, did not return.

The league’s department of player safety said in a video that Gallagher delivered direct and forceful contact to Pelech’s head, flaring his elbow upward, when he could have avoided doing so. The video noted that Pelech was injured on the play.

Gallagher, 34, and now in his 12th season, had been fined once before in his career. This was his first suspension.

He’ll forfeit $169,271 in salary and miss games at Pittsburgh and Washington and against Dallas, St. Louis and Anaheim sandwiched around the All-Star break. Gallagher is eligible to return Feb. 15 at the New York Rangers.