NEW YORK — Bruins forward Brad Marchand was suspended for five games by the NHL because of a hit on the Canucks’ Sami Salo.

The league considers Marchand a repeat offender. He received a two-game suspension in March 2011.

Marchand clipped Salo just before the end of the second period of Saturday’s game, receiving a major penalty and a game misconduct.

He will be able to return Jan. 19 against the Devils and will forfeit more than $150,000 in pay.

On the Bruins’ website, GM Peter Chiarelli said:

“While we respect the process that the Department of Player Safety took to reach their decision regarding Brad’s hit on Sami Salo, we are very disappointed by their ruling.

“While we understand that the Department of Safety is an evolving entity, it is frustrating that there are clear comparable situations that have not been penalized or sanctioned in the past.

“It is equally disappointing that Brad sought the counsel of the Department this past Fall for an explanation and clarification regarding this type of scenario so as to adjust his game if necessary. He was advised that such an incident was not sanctionable if he was protecting his own safety. Given our feeling that Brad was indeed protecting himself and certainly did not clip the player as he contacted the player nowhere near the knee or quadricep, today’s ruling is not consistent with what the Department of Player Safety communicated to Brad.”