PHOTO CREDIT - CBC.ca

Cornwall - Mar. 9, 2011 - Boston Bruins' defencemen Zdeno Chara had a telephone hearing today with NHL VP Mike Murphy in regards to his hit on Montreal Canadiens' forward Max Pacioretty.

The Canadiens announced today that Pacioretty suffered a severe concussion and a fractured C4 vertebrae and will be out indefinitely.

Below is the full text of Murphy's statement as found on NHL.com.

National Hockey League Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy today issued the following statement on Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara's hit in NHL game #996 last night against the Montreal Canadiens:

"I conducted a hearing with Boston Bruins' defenseman Zdeno Chara with respect to the major penalty for interference and game misconduct that he was assessed at 19:44 of the second period for a hit on Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens.

"After a thorough review of the video I can find no basis to impose supplemental discipline. This hit resulted from a play that evolved and then happened very quickly -- with both players skating in the same direction and with Chara attempting to angle his opponent into the boards. I could not find any evidence to suggest that, beyond this being a correct call for interference, that Chara targeted the head of his opponent, left his feet or delivered the check in any other manner that could be deemed to be dangerous.

"This was a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface. In reviewing this play, I also took into consideration that Chara has not been involved in a supplemental discipline incident during his 13-year NHL career."