Philadelphia Flyers centre Zac Rinaldo has a hearing with the NHL department of player safety on Monday to discuss his illegal check to the head of Buffalo Sabres defenceman Chad Ruhwedel.
Rinaldo received a 10-minute game misconduct at 4:29 of the third period of the Flyers’ 5-2 win Sunday after hitting Ruhwedel near the blue line as he took a shot on net. The Sabres defenceman left the game with a concussion and will miss the final week of the season.
“I had a lot of speed going at him. I put my shoulder down, and as he shot the puck my shoulder hit him clearly,” Rinaldo told reporters. “Proof is in the pudding right there. I shouldn’t have done it. There’s no need for it. We’re up 4-0, but it’s part of the game.
“That always happens with me. I get on a good streak and then something bad always happens. I try not to think about it too much.”
The hearing will take place over the phone, meaning Rinaldo – who has been suspended once before, in February 2012 – cannot receive more than a five-game suspensi
