By TOM JONES, Times Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH - Lightning rookie Evgeny Artyukhin was not pleased to be sitting in the press box Tuesday night, but he understood why he was there.

The NHL suspended Artyukhin for two games because of an incident Monday night against Ottawa. He ripped the helmet off Antoine Vermette then hit Vermette in the head with it.

"I can't do that," Artyukhin said. "I'm okay about (the suspension). Of course, I'm upset (about not playing), but it's the league's job."

However, the Lightning is bothered that Toronto's Darcy Tucker did the same thing this season and was fined, but not suspended. And Tucker hit his opponent twice.

"Looking at Tucker's incident, he didn't get any games and he whacked him twice and it was a one-on-one," Lightning coach John Tortorella said before the suspension was announced. "Arty was jumped by three guys."

Artyukhin had a conference call with league disciplinarian Colin Campbell Tuesday morning, a call that included Tortorella and general manager Jay Feaster.

The Lightning has been concerned over the season that the right wing is being unfairly targeted because he is so big (6 feet 5, 254 pounds). It hoped he would get off easy because it was his first offense.

"He's unblemished," Tortorella said. "He hasn't done anything terrible in this game except finish checks. And because of his big body and the way he skates and the way he engulfs people, he stands out when he does that. And we just don't want him to get a reputation."

Artyukhin missed Tuesday's game against the Penguins and will sit out Thursday against the Sabres. He also forfeits two games of his salary, which comes to $6,142.84.