Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen has been suspended three games for his hit on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.
Ristolainen, 22, hammered Guentzel with an open-ice hit midway through the first period of a 3-1 Penguins win Tuesday. Guentzel was in the process of accepting a pass from Sidney Crosby but the puck was tipped before Guentzel could touch it and Ristolainen followed though with his hit. Ristolainen was assessed a major penalty for interference and a game misconduct on the play. Ristolainen will forfeit $90,000 in salary that will go towards Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Guentzel was diagnosed with a concussion. The 22-year-old had been enjoying a successful rookie campaign with 11 goals, 14 assists in 35 games on the wing beside Crosby and Conor Sheary. He is considered day-to-day.
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“I tried to hit him. Obviously he didn’t get the puck so that’s unfortunate and too bad he got injured,” Ristolainen told reporters Thursday prior to the suspension being handed down. “At the moment, I didn’t expect to get thrown out of the game, but later on he obviously didn’t have the puck. He didn’t get it. Our player broke the play and he got injured. So, I don’t know what are the rules but it probably was the right call. I’m not aware of the rules.”
Ristolainen continued: “I didn’t take any strides. I tried to give a little bit of time to be aware and when I was getting my eyes toward him I tried to look the puck, I tried to find the puck. It never got to him. I didn’t see that. So it’s like a half a second there. Tough to react.”
