Suspensions/Fines
Brendan Lemieux suspended for two play-in games
The NHL has handed down its ruling on Brendan Lemieux, suspending him for the first two games of the play-in round.
#NHL announces that New York Rangers forward Brendan Lemieux is suspended two qualifying games for interference on Colorado Avalanche forward Joonas Donskoi on March 11: https://t.co/fR4MAIwJjX#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/odduqlXxc7
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) July 20, 2020
Lemieux was suspended for his hit on Joonas Donskoi. This was a very dirty hit, and honestly two games is a little light.
Just an unbelievably dirty hit by Brendan Lemieux. Awful pic.twitter.com/6fntzFI1Hm
— Fitz (@FitzGSN_) March 12, 2020
This creates an opening in the bottom-six for someone like Vitali Kravtsov to potentially impress and steal a spot.
It looked to me like Lemieux turned his shoulder into the back of Donskois shoulder. Joonas went down like he was shot. Very European football.
Check the replay on the DOPS video. He gets him in the jaw. I don’t think he intended to make head contact but he did and there was no need for the hit.
The Rangers have thirteen forwards Quinn is happy to play, so I think it takes one more injury for one of the black aces to get in. And should that happen I am guessing Haley or Fogarty gets the call.
Kravtsov would have to be truly amazing to break into the lineup. He may have one of the brightest futures, but he was nowhere close this season.
Proper suspension for an absolutely senseless hit. Very late too.
But yet, Ovi, who put Drouin out for 3 months, after leaving his feet on a blindside hit, gets nary a penalty nor suspension. Pick and choose justice.