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NHL suspends Brandon Manning 2 games for Stadium Series hit (Video)

NHL
NHL

Brandon Manning will sit for the next two Philadelphia Flyers games for his Stadium Series hit on Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety ruled on Monday that the lateness and the amount of head contact made deemed this punishable by a suspension.

“Manning initiates this hit after the puck is already gone, and contact is made well outside the allowable window for finishing a check,” is the key line here. Sidney Crosby is already well in possession of the puck by the time the Flyers forward lays the hit on Guentzel. That, and the high blow to Guentzel’s head adds up to a seat in the press box until Saturday night.

“Looking at it, it is a little late. Like I said today, I thought he was going to tough the puck after. Usually when the puck hits your skates you try and pick it up and he kind of left it,” Manning said on Monday. “If I don’t play my guy there it’s a 3-on-1 the other way and you’re giving up scoring chances. Fortunately he wasn’t hurt, he finished the game. That’s always a good thing for everyone involved.”

Guentzel remained in the game and finished with two assists in the Penguins’ 4-2 win at Heinz Field. Manning will give up $10,833.34, which goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!