NHL: Eakin Banned Four Games For Illegal Hit On Lundqvist

LOS ANGELES, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Dec, 2016 ) - The National Hockey League announced Friday that it was slapping Dallas stars forward Cody Eakin with a four-game suspension for running New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

The incident occurred on Thursday halfway through the first period of the NHL game. Canadian Eakin was assessed a major penalty for charging, and a game misconduct for a heavy blow that knocked Lundqvist's helmet off and sent him crashing to the ice.

"First thing is the league better do something about that hit," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said after the game. "It's everything you want to take away from the game.

" Lundqvist, of Sweden, left the ice after the hit, but returned about five minutes later and completed a 2-0 shutout.

Ottawa Senators forward Mike Hoffman was also suspended for two games and San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic was fined $5,000 for separate incidents that occurred during the Sharks-Senators game in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Hoffman, of Canada, was suspended for cross-checking Sharks forward Logan Couture in the back of the helmet, while Vlasic was fined for dangerous use of his stick involving the Senators Swedish defenseman Erik Karlsson.