The NHL on Monday suspended Bruins forward Brad Marchand for three games for slew-footing Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson during Boston鈥檚 3-2 victory a day earlier.
It is the seventh suspension of Marchand鈥檚 career. He will lose about $92,000 in pay.
Late in the first period of Sunday night鈥檚 game, the two players were pursuing the puck when Marchand hit Ekman-Larsson high and at the same time kicked the Canucks defensemen鈥檚 legs out from under him. No penalty was called at the time.
鈥淲hat causes this play to rise to the level of supplemental discipline,鈥� the NHL Department of Player Safety said in a video on Monday, 鈥渋s Marchand鈥檚 use of both his upper and lower body to take Ekman-Larsson to the ice in a dangerous fashion, and the speed in which the players are traveling toward the boards.鈥�
Marchand鈥檚 history, which includes a two-game suspension for slew-footing in 2015, also played a role.
鈥擳he Associated Press
