Sabres F Larsson suspended 2 games for cross-check
Buffalo Sabres forward Johan Larsson has been suspended two games by the NHL for cross-checking Florida forward Vincent Trocheck in the face late in Thursday's 4-2 Panthers win.
Larsson had a hearing with the department of player safety on Friday, and the league's ruling came shortly afterward.
The incident occurred in the final minutes of Thursday's game between the two teams. Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe and Trocheck got into a brief altercation near center ice that included some shoving. As Trocheck skated away, Larsson intercepted him and landed the cross-check.
The stick initially hit Trocheck on the left shoulder and rode its way up toward his face, but the league disciplined Larsson nonetheless.
"Players are responsible for their stick at all times," the league said in its ruling. "When a player attempts to intentionally use his stick to deliver a blow to an opponent, he cannot necessarily be excused of all responsibility when the blow lands in an unintended place."
Larsson was assessed a 10-minute match penalty and five-minute cross-checking major for the hit on Trocheck.
Larsson will miss Buffalo's matchup against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and Tuesday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. The 25-year-old has three goals and six assists in 51 games this season.
--Field Level Media
