Justin Abdelkader ejected after hit on Ducks’ Lydman: how many games? (Video)

Justin Abdelkader will likely be the next NHLer to get a call from Brendan Shanahan after being ejected for a nasty, high bodycheck on Anaheim Ducks' defenceman Toni Lydman.

While the Department of Player Safety may appreciate Abdelkader giving them an easy one after the difficult situation Lars Eller put them in, they're not going to like this hit.

Lydman left the game for evaluation and did not return. Abdelkader left as well, because he was given a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct.

As for the potential for supplemental discipline, this play has a lot of bad stuff. Lydman's condition will be a factor, of course. The primary point of contact will be discussed, and it looks like it might be the head. Hitting a guy there is a no-no (except for the occasions when it isn't, like when you drop your stick and gloves first).

So is leaving one's feet to do it, and Abdelkader appears to do that as well. That will be a major point of contention here. Clearly, he pops up as a result of the collision, but are his skates off the ice even before that?

It looks like they might be. If they are, Abdelkader could be unavailable for Game 4 and then some.

But while the Shanavengers could drop the hammer on Abdelkader, the Ducks already made the Red Wings pay for it. It was a momentum-changer in this game. Nick Bonino scored on the resulting powerplay; Anaheim never looked back.

In the third, Ryan Getzlaf, Emerson Etem, and Matt Belesky added goals, and Jonas Hiller guided home a 23-save shutout in a 4-0 Game 3 win for the Ducks.