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Marcus Johansson suspended two games for Thomas Hickey headshot (Video)

josh cooper

Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson was suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey.

The suspension was announced Friday. Johansson will forfeit $40,322.58 of his salary.

It’s the second suspension for a Capitals player this week. Forward Zach Sill was suspended two games for a high hit of Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid on Tuesday.

A video of the Johansson play is above.

Johansson was given a two-minute minor for an illegal check to the head. Hickey left briefly but returned to the game.

Said Johansson via the Washington Post:

“I just tried to hit him,” Johansson said. “I went in with my shoulder, and you know, I don’t know if he had his head low or not, but I went in with my shoulder. That’s all I saw from my vantage point.”

Hickey called Johansson “an honest player” and rested some blame upon himself.

Said Hickey to Newsday:

“I think that’s half me trying to protect myself better and half him coming in a little high,” Hickey said. “I haven’t seen the replay but I know he’s not a dirty player at all.”

In the video explaining why Johansson was suspended, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety said Johansson “extends upwards” which made Hickey’s head the main point of contact.

In 384 career games, Johansson has just 42 penalty minutes. He finished sixth in Lady Byng Trophy voting in 2013-14 when he had just four penalty minutes in 80 games played.

The Capitals won the game against New York, 4-1.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!