NHL suspends Blues' Reaves for three games

ST. LOUIS -- Add forward Ryan Reaves to the list of Blues players unavailable to play these days. But in Reaves' case it's a result of suspension, not injury.

The league's Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday that Reaves has been suspended for three games.

In the first period of Monday's game against the Sharks, Reaves rammed defenseman Matt Tennyson into the glass behind the San Jose goal and smashed his face into the divider. Tennyson dropped flat on his back, and Reaves received a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct penalty.

"We respect the decision of the NHL on this matter," Blues GM Doug Armstrong said in a team statement. "Ryan is an important member of our team and we look forward to getting him back in the lineup."

Reaves, 29, has dressed in 49 games for the Blues this season, posting two goals and 40 penalty minutes.