(New York) The National Hockey League imposed a three-game suspension on Saturday on Buffalo Sabers forward Jeff Skinner for illegally cross-checking the header of Pittsburgh Penguins Jake Guentzel.
The incident between the two players occurred late in the third period of the game that the Penguins won 4-3 in overtime on Friday, the first of two games in as many nights between the two clubs.
Skinner and Guentzel started by exchanging sticks before the Sabers player served two cross-checks to Guentzel. The second hit Guentzel in the face, just under his visor.
Both players received minor penalties for slashing, and Skinner also received a five-minute major and a match penalty.
The league’s player safety department ruled that Skinner struck Guentzel in an “aggressive and deliberate” manner.
This is the second suspension since the start of Skinner’s NHL career. In 2012, while playing for the Carolina Hurricanes, he was sanctioned for two games for kicking St. Louis Blues forward Scott Nichol.