The Habs will be without Michael Pezzetta for their games on Tuesday and Thursday as the Department of Player Safety announced that they’ve handed the winger a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head on Washington winger T.J. Oshie.
The incident occurred late in the third period on Saturday night and Pezzetta received a two-minute minor on the play. Oshie stayed in the game and actually scored on the ensuing power play but whether or not he was injured had no bearing on the suspension.
In the ruling, it was noted that Pezzetta clearly caught Oshie with a hit to the head, making it the principal point of contact. That, coupled with the fact it was avoidable (Oshie didn’t turn at the last second to create an unavoidable angle and Pezzetta had time to turn away or create a better angle for the hit) met that both elements of the criteria for supplemental discipline were met.
This is the first suspension of Pezzetta’s young NHL career so he’s not subject to the repeat offender rule. Therefore, his forfeited salary is two days’ pay (instead of two games’ pay). His daily salary is $3,750 ($750,000 divided by 200) so he’ll lose $7,500 which will go to the Players’ Assistance Fund.