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ARLINGTON, Va. -- Brendan Shanahan has officially told the Bruins and Capitals to knock it off.

Shanahan’s had a lot on his plate this postseason, and in suspending Nicklas Backstrom for Game 4 for his cross-check to the face of Rich Peverley, the league disciplinarian has made this series the most recent one to get that message.

This postseason, with each first-round series no more than four games deep, has seen nine suspensions already. That’s two more suspensions than there were levied in the entire 2011 postseason. A lot of that has to do with Shanahan taking over for Colin Campbell and Co., and a lot of it has to do with the fact that this first round has featured some intense, angry series.

The series between the B’s and Capitals wasn’t one of those series until Game 3, when there was a lot more work after the whistle, more jabs taken and one player speared in the crotch.

Now that Backstrom has been suspended, the warning shot has been fired. Crossing the line will not be tolerated, and the Bruins players who toe that line need to be extra careful.

Bruins and Capitals have been warned


And there we have it....