Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta has been suspended five games for boarding New York Rangers centre Brad Richards on Sunday night.

Kaleta is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. He will lose more than $72,000 in salary, and begin serving the suspension Tuesday, when Buffalo plays at Carolina.

The Rangers got a scare 3:28 into the third when Richards was shoved from behind into the half boards by Kaleta. Kaleta, who has already been suspended twice in his NHL career, was assessed a five-minute major for checking from behind and was given a game misconduct.