Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has been suspended two games by the National Hockey League for his illegal hit on Chicago Blackhawks center Kirby Dach during Wednesday night’s game in Denver.
Landeskog, who has been previously suspended three times by the league for a variety of infractions, was assessed a two-minute boarding penalty on the play, which took place in the third period of the game.
On the play, Landeskog skated up the ice and drove Dach into the wall near center-ice. Dach was on one knee after moving around another Colorado player, and the league ruled that this put him in a vulnerable position at the time of Landeskog’s hit.
In explaining the ruling, a league spokesman said that Landeskog delivered a “forceful shove that sent Dach dangerously into the wall,” and that the Avalanche captain was in “control of the play” and could have chosen either not to hit Dach or to hit him in a way that was less dangerous.
The speed and the force of the hit, as well as Landeskog’s previous suspensions, were also cited as factors behind the suspension.
Dach was able to stay in the game.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
