New York, NY (My Sportsbook) - The NHL suspended Rangers head coach John Tortorella for one game on Saturday, stemming from an incident in Friday's Game 5 loss to Washington at Verizon Center in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

The incident occurred with 6:33 remaining in the third period when Tortorella squirted a fan with water, then threw a water bottle into the stands that struck another fan. The notoriously feisty bench boss will sit out Game 6 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday with New York leading the best-of-seven set 3-2.

"While it is a difficult decision to suspend a coach at this point in a playoff series, it has been made clear to all of our players, coaches and other bench personnel that the National Hockey League cannot -- and will not -- tolerate any physical contact with fans," NHL senior executive vice president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell said. "We do not take this action lightly. It is the result of an entire day of investigation and evaluation that included the retrieval and review of videotape of the incident and discussions with Mr. Tortorella, other Rangers' bench personnel and a number of other people, including the security personnel at the Verizon Center.

"That investigation revealed that Mr. Tortorella squirted a fan with water before Mr. Tortorella was doused with a beverage. While, in these circumstances, it always is easy to allege mitigating circumstances, the fact is we do not tolerate contact with our fans in this manner. That is communicated before each season in a memo that is issued by the League to all of the management, coaches and players of every team."

Tortorella, who won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in the spring of 2004, took over as coach when Tom Renney was dismissed in late February.