Laraque

TORONTO — The NHL suspended Pittsburgh Penguins forward Georges Laraque Thursday for three games, one day after he injured Buffalo defenseman Nathan Paetsch with an elbow to the head.

Paetsch is out indefinitely with a concussion, leaving the Sabres' depleted defense down a third player in the midst of their final playoff push.

The defenseman had just passed the puck from deep in the Buffalo own zone early in the second period of Pittsburgh's 7-3 victory Wednesday when Laraque skated by and hit him with a raised elbow. Paetsch lay face down on the ice for several minutes before getting to his knees.