Montreal Canadiens defenceman Douglas Murray has been suspended three games by the NHL’s department of player safety for elbowing Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Michael Kostka in the head during Tuesday’s game.
Murray, a first-time offender, took down Kostka with a headshot at 17:47 of the third period and was assessed a 10-minute match penalty. A stretcher was brought onto the ice, but after remaining down for several minutes, Kostka got up on his own power and headed to the bench. He was later diagnosed with a concussion and is out indefinitely.
The Lightning defeated the Canadiens 3-1 in a game that saw both teams clinch a playoff spot.
Because Murray’s hearing was conducted over the telephone, the maximum number of games he could’ve been suspended was five. Based on his average annual salary, Murray will forfeit $23,076.93.
“He’s doing really well, all things considered,” Lighting general manager Steve Yzerman told the Tampa Bay Times.
Kostka’s coach, Jon Cooper, said Murray was playing careless but doesn’t believe his intention was to harm Kostka.
Tampa captain Steven Stamkos, who led the stretcher onto the ice, described Murray as “a clean, honest player” but called the hit “one of the worst I’ve seen live.”
“That play was dirty,” Stamkos said. “That’s a flying elbow right to the jaw, and [Kostka] is absolutely knocked out on the ice. I don’t think anyone can argue the fact, if they’ve seen the replay and seen multiple angles of the replay, that was a dirty play.”
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“I’ve never been suspended before and I’m not a dirty player,” Murray told reporters Wednesday. “He’s coming through the middle and I have a guy on my right and I’m trying to finish my check, while at the same time I’m keeping an eye on the guy to the right of me.
“I felt like I had arm tucked in but… I really don’t want to comment on it because I haven’t looked at it and I expect I’ll be suspended.”
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