Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Dalton Prout was suspended one game by the NHL’s department of player safety on Tuesday after delivering a sucker punch on Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov.
Prout struck Kucherov with his right hand during a scrum in the second period of Columbus’s 4-0 loss to the Lightning on Sunday. (See the play at the top of this post.)
The LaSalle, Ont., native received a minor penalty for roughing and misconduct on the play.
Kucherov had an assist on Steven Stamkos‘ first goal of the game in the second period.