The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday afternoon that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will serve a one-game suspension for a hit on Washington Capital Marcus Johansson in Game 3.
While it was known this second-round series would get testy and physical, no one could predict there would be three hits in as many games that would require discipline by the league. Washington’s Tom Wilson was fined $2,403.67 for his hit on Conor Sheary in Game 1. Capital defenseman Brooks Orpik was suspended for three games for taking out Olli Maata in the early stages of Game 2. And now Letang is suspended for his late and unnecessary hit on Johansson. This puts the Penguins in a bad position for Game 4, the biggest game yet.
Game 4 will set the stage for the continuation of a hard-hitting series between two teams that already don’t like each other.
The NHL justified the suspension by explaining that Johansson wasn’t eligible to be checked on the play and said that the lateness of the hit was the major issue. It’s important to understand that the hit itself, because Letang’s skates didn’t leave the ice, wasn’t necessarily an illegal check. However, because there was significant contact to the head and because the hit was made outside the allowable window when a player can finish a check, it’s no surprise that Letang has been suspended.
At this point, it’s unclear who will take Letang’s place — especially because it’s unclear when Olli Maatta will return — but it’s more than likely that defenseman Justin Schultz will see playing time in Game 4. Thus far in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Letang has tallied seven points (1 G, 6 A).
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