Hockey East suspends Northeastern head coach Jim Madigan

Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna has announced the suspension of Northeastern head coach Jim Madigan for one game at the beginning of next season for criticizing official in his team's quarterfinal series at New Hampshire.

Madigan, whose Huskies were eliminated in three games at UNH and barely missed out on an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, will be forced to sit out the first regular season game of next season.

"Using the media to criticize an official's decision is contrary to league policy and is inherently unfair to the officials who work hard for college hockey each and every night," said Bertagna in the release. "Hockey East and Northeastern University expect better from our head coaches and Jim has acknowledged his error in this situation."

Madigan, a Northeastern alumnus, just completed his third and most successful season as head coach at his alma mater. Picked to finish 11th in the Hockey East standings, the Huskies climbed to the top 10 of the national rankings and had a chance to finish in second place in the conference as late as the last weekend of the regular season.

Northeastern will have to replace leading goal scorer Braden Pimm, who will graduate, and junior captain Josh Manson, who forwent his senior season to sign with the Anaheim Ducks. Rumors have been rampant that star redshirt junior goaltender Clay Witt is on the verge of signing an NHL contract as well.