Philadelphia Flyers forward Jesse Boulerice was suspended for 25 games by the National Hockey League for his vicious cross-check to the face of Ryan Kesler in Wednesday's game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice-president of hockey operations, was the one who announced the leagues decision to suspend Boulerice. Campbell labeled the cross-check as "careless and reckless play."

"In my opinion, and I've talked to Jesse about this as well, it was a careless act on his part," Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said on the team's website.

"I've said this before, I think Colin Campbell is in a very difficult position and I respect the work he does. This is a decision I think based on what the league is trying to do in terms of hits to the head and especially now with a stick involved. It's probably a fair penalty."

The brutal incident happened in the third period of the Flyers' 8-2 win over Vancouver at GM Place, when Boulerice hit Kesler in the face so hard that his graphite stick broke in two. After the impact Kesler remained motionless on the ice for a few minutes. The Vancouver winger did not have the puck on the play.

"I reacted in a bad way - the wrong way," Boulerice said after the game.

Kesler resumed training with the Canucks Thursday, and despite swelling he’ll probably play against Edmonton tonight.

Boulerice 25-game suspension follows his team mate’s Steve Downie suspension a month ago for a brutal pre-season hit on Ottawa's Dean McAmmond. He is currently serving the 20-game suspension.

Chris Simon of the New York Islanders also stayed off the ice for 25 games after he hit Ryan Hollweg of the New York Rangers in the face with the stick. He is still serving suspension as well.

This incident wasn’t Boulerice’s first. He had legal troubles for a similar case almost a decade ago. In 1998 he was playing for the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers, when he hit Andrew Long of the Guelph Storm during a game. Boulerice was charged with assault.